‘I lost a brother.’ Former coaches, teammates mourn the loss of Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins
The tragic death of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins in South Florida on Saturday stunned the sports world — as former coaches and teammates poured in touching tributes on social media while grieving the devastating loss of the Heisman finalist.
Haskins was killed when he got hit by a dump truck while walking on Interstate 595 near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport early Saturday morning, according to authorities. His agent Cedric Saunders told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the 24-year-old former Ohio State standout was in the area training with other teammates.
Around 6:40 a.m., he was trying to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 on foot between I-95’s northbound and southbound lanes when an oncoming dump truck struck him, according to Florida Highway Patrol. He died on the highway.
FHP did not release further details regarding the deadly accident.
READ MORE: Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins dies after getting hit by a truck in South Florida
The Steelers originally signed Haskins in January 2021 but he didn’t see any action during the regular season, the team said in a news release.
“He signed a one-year restricted free agent tender in March and was among those expected to compete for the starting job in 2022,” the team reported.
In a statement, Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said he was “heartbroken” after learning about Haskins’ unexpected death.
“He quickly became part of our Steelers family ups his arrival to Pittsburgh and was one of the hardest workers, both on the field and in our community,” he said. “Dwayne was a great teammate, but even more so a tremendous friend to so many.”
Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool posted a black and white photo on Instagram of him smiling next to Haskins.
“I lost a brother today,” he said. “Love you, 3,” he added referring to Haskins’ jersey number.
On Twitter, Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward wrote that he will miss Haskins tremendously and that he was lucky enough to have met him.
“Dwayne meant so much to so many people,” he said. “His smile was infectious and he was a guy you wanted to be around.”
Linebacker T.J. Watt was also among those who lamented his sorrow via Twitter, saying “the world lost a great person.”
“When Dwayne first walked into the locker room I could tell he was an upbeat guy,” he said. “He was always making people smile, never taking life for granted.”
“His impact on me will last a forever,” Watt added.
Steelers quarterback coach Mike Sullivan tweeted a photo of a smiling Haskins giving him a firm handshake during a game.
“It was a joy to see him grow and develop, both as a quarterback & as a man,” he said. “His positive attitude, bright smile and genuine enthusiasm will be missed by everyone.”
In another statement, Washington Commanders Head Coach Ron Rivera said he was “sad” and “heartbroken.” The Commanders selected him with the No. 15 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
“Dwayne was a talented young man who had a long life ahead of him,” he said. “I know I speak for the rest of the team in saying he will be sorely missed.”
Commanders running back Antonio Gibson posted a photo via Instagram showcasing Haskins — wearing a Commanders jersey donning the number 7 — passing him the football.
“RIP 7 Love,” he said.
As Ohio State University’s starting quarterback in 2018, Haskins threw for a Big Ten-record 4,831 yards and completed 70% of his passes — finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting while tossing 50 touchdowns.
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith tweeted that he was “shocked and saddened by the devastating news.”
“He was a legend on the field and truly a tremendous human being,” he wrote.
Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow, who played with Haskins at Ohio State, tweeted a video of them hugging during an NFL game.
“Tough to find the words… you will be missed,” he said.
Haskins would have turned 25 on May 3.
Miami Herald reporters Howard Cohen and David Wilson contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 11, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
