Dwayne Haskins, Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback, Dead at 24

Dwyane Haskins, quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, died this weekend when he was hit by a car, according to ESPN. He was 24 years old. Haskins was in South Florida training with other Steelers quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. He was killed Saturday morning when he got hit by a vehicle. 

“I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement. “He quickly became part of our Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in our community. Dwayne was a great teammate, but even more so a tremendous friend to so many. I am truly heartbroken. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Kalabrya, and his entire family during this difficult time.” 

Haskins joined the Steelers last year and was the third-string quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph. He didn’t play in any games last year as he was inactive in all but one game. In March, Haskins signed a one-year contract with the Steelers and was competing for the starting job since Roethlisberger retired at the end of the 2021 season. 

Haskins, who played college football at Ohio State, was selected by the Washington Commanders No. 15 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Haskins played in nine games with seven starts and threw for 1,365 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions. In 2020, Haskins played in seven games with nine starts and threw for 1,469 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was released by Washington before the end of the year. 

“I am absolutely heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of Dwayne Haskins Jr.,” Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said in a statement. “Dwayne was a talented young man who had a long life ahead of him. This is a very sad time and I am honestly at a loss for words. I know I speak for the rest of our team in saying he will be sorely missed.” 

While playing at Ohio State, Haskins was one of the top quarterbacks in the country. In 2018, Haskins was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team, was named MVP of the Big Ten Championship Game and the Rose Bowl, and won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top collegiate passer.