Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Dravon Askew-Henry has retired from football, he announced in a post to social media on Tuesday.
Askew-Henry, 29, is an Aliquippa native and played collegiately at West Virginia before embarking on a five-year pro career.
“I want to thank God because without him none of this would have been possible,” Askew-Henry wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “Just a kid from Aliquippa, PA who had a dream since I can remember to make it to the NFL. Football has taken me places and connected me with people I am so grateful for. I will never forget every single person who played a pivotal role in my career as an athlete; from little twerps all the way to the big leagues.”
Askew-Henry started that pro career as an undrafted free agent with the Steelers in 2019, but he was released in the final cut-down. He played in four preseason games in a Pittsburgh uniform, recording seven tackles and one pass defended.
The following spring, Henry was drafted by the New York Guardians of the XFL. He then caught on with the New York Giants, and spent the 2020 offseason in New York before again being a victim of final roster cuts.
Askew-Henry then moved to the newly reformed USFL for 2022, getting drafted by the New Jersey Generals. He had 12 tackles in 2022 and then returned for a second season, recording 28 tackles and two interceptions in 2023.
The Generals folded when the XFL and USFL merged to form the UFL for 2024. Askew-Henry was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks in a dispersal draft, and he played 10 games for St. Louis last season, making two starts and recording 17 tackles. He was released by the Battlehawks in March.
In five years at West Virginia, Askew-Henry set the Mountaineers’ career mark for most games started (51). He sustained a season-ending injury prior to the start of his would-be junior year in 2016, but started every other game of his career. He totaled 162 career solo tackles, with 53 assists, six interceptions and 10 pass breakups.As a senior, he was named to the All-Big 12 honorable mention for the second straight season after starting all 13 games at safety and tying for fourth on the team with 54 tackles (37 solo), including five stops for loss.
A version of this story first appeared at our partner site, West Virginia Sports Now.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Former Steelers DB Announces Retirement from Football
