Tributes poured in on Saturday after 24-year-old Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was killed after being hit by a vehicle earlier that morning. Most, including a message from Ben Roethlisberger, touched on a common thread: Haskins’s attitude.
“He came to work everyday with a smile on his face and energy and love in his heart,” Roethlisberger wrote. “I really enjoyed his passion and love for the game and wanting to learn and be the best. His smile and zeal for life will be missed!
“Wish we had more time together on this earth, but I will cherish the time and the laughs we had! I’ll say it again just like I told you to your face, I still wish I could throw the ball like you!! Love ya pal.”
Roethlisberger and Haskins played side-by-side on the Steelers for one season after Pittsburgh picked him up as its third string quarterback in 2021. Although he never played a regular season game for the franchise, Haskins did play in four preseason games, starting one of the contests. He finished with 379 passing yards and two touchdowns in those games.
Prior to that, Haskins, a former first-round pick, started for the Commanders for two seasons (2019, ’20), finishing with a total of 2,804 yards and 12 touchdowns. He only started in a total of 13 games for Washington.
As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote in his obituary:
Like a lot of 21-year-olds going into the workforce for the first time, Dwayne Haskins had a lot of growing up to do when he arrived in the NFL in April 2019.
But there was one thing no one around him ever questioned: they knew, deep down, he had a heart of gold.
Ben and his wife, Ashley, also wrote a note to Haskins’s wife, Kalabrya.
“We don’t understand why God does what he does but we have to trust and believe in his plan. You are an amazing woman of father and we trust you will get through this,” the Roethlisberger’s wrote.
The 24-year-old quarterback was in South Florida training with other Pittsburgh skill players including Mitch Trubisky, Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth over the past few days.
Haskins was killed early Saturday morning when he was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 595 in Fort Lauderdale. Florida Highway Patrol authorities told CBSMiami that he was attempting to cross the westbound lanes of the highway when he was hit by the truck.
Haskins would have been 25 on May 3.
