NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins has died after being hit by a car Saturday (April 9) in South Florida. Haskins’s agent Cedric Saunders confirmed the tragic news with ESPN. Haskins was 24 years old.
According to the outlet, the Pittsburgh Steelers QB was training in South Florida with other Steelers offensive players.
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin released a statement on Twitter, writing:
“I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins. 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 hoped to compete for the starting quarterback role this upcoming season after spending last year behind Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh.
The Ohio State standout was drafted by the Washington Commanders in the first round as the 15th pick in the 2019 draft. He spent two tumultuous seasons with the Washington franchise passing for over 2,500 yards and 13 touchdowns.
While he did not get to show off his skills for the Steelers last season, the team signed him to a one-year restricted free agent tender in March.
In January, Haskins told reporters: “I feel like I can be a starter in this league. I got drafted for that reason. “I definitely believe I have the talent to. I just haven’t put it all together yet. And that’s something I have to do this offseason to put myself in position to play.
“I’ve wanted to be a quarterback my entire life. Being a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers is a dream. I always had great respect for the black and gold. Great respect for Coach (Mike) Tomlin, 15 seasons with no losing season. I want to show him that I want this bad. I want to be a leader. I want to be a guy that people can rely on, on and off the field to be more than just a guy that can throw a ball, talented enough to be in a position where I can execute at a high level and keep the Steelers way.”
REVOLT has reached out to the Florida Highway Patrol and will update this story with any new details.