Dwayne Haskins dies after being struck by dump truck
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and former first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins died Saturday morning after a dump truck hit him on a highway in Florida.
Haskins was 24 and would have turned 25 on May 3. He was in South Florida training with Steelers teammates.
Haskins was attempting to walk across the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 when the vehicle struck and killed him, the Florida Highway Patrol stated in a release obtained by Ben Standig of The Athletic. The incident was reported around 6:37 a.m., and Haskins was pronounced dead at the scene.
"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 entered the NFL in 2019 after the Washington Commanders selected him 15th overall. Washington released him after he failed to secure the starter's role through two seasons with the team.
"We are devastated to hear the news of the tragic passing of Dwayne Haskins Jr.," Commanders owners Dan and Tara 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."
The Ohio State product signed with the Steelers following his departure from Washington and was their third-string quarterback in 2021. Pittsburgh tendered him a contract as a restricted free agent, setting him up to return in 2022.
Haskins threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns at Ohio State in 2018, earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors and finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting. He led the Buckeyes to a Rose Bowl win over Washington and was named the game's offensive MVP following a three-touchdown performance.