On Saturday morning, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was struck and killed by a dump truck near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while he was walking on the highway.
“He was attempting to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 when there was oncoming traffic,” Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Lt. Indiana Miranda said in an emailed statement, via ESPN.
The 24-year-old was pronounced dead on the scene according to Miranda and it is currently an “an open traffic homicide investigation”.
“I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said in a team 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 was selected with the 15th overall pick by Washington in the 2019 NFL Draft. He played in Washington for two seasons, starting in 13 games and going 3-10 with 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He signed with the Steelers in January 2021 and was the third-string quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph. He did not feature at all during the 2021 campaign.
“We are devastated to hear the news of the tragic passing of Dwayne Haskins Jr.,” Washington Commanders owners Daniel and Tanya Snyder said in a statement. “He was a young man with a tremendous amount of potential who had an infectious personality. To say we are heartbroken is an understatement. Our hearts and prayers are with the members of Dwayne’s family and all of those who knew him and loved him.”
“Dwayne was a talented young man who had a long life ahead of him,” Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said in a team statement. “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. Our entire team is sending our heartfelt condolences and thoughts and prayers to the Haskins family at this time.”
The news of Haskins’ untimely passing spread across the NFL almost immediately, with numerous teammates quickly taking to social media to express their emotions and share their condolences with his family.
“I spent your final moments with you and I can’t help but think about how selfless you were in those moments,” Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool tweeted. “All you cared about was making sure that everyone around you was okay and I can’t thank you enough for that. You are what I strive to be.”
Haskins had been in South Florida training with some teammates and Claypool had been one of them.
“The world lost a great person today.” Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt tweeted. “When Dwayne first walked into the locker room I could tell he was an upbeat guy. He was always making people smile, never taking life for granted. His impact on me will last forever”
