Former Washington Commanders first-round pick Dwayne Haskins died at age 24 after being hit by a car in Florida on Saturday morning.
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The sad news was reported by the player’s agent, Cedric Saunders, to the ESPN network.
Haskins had been training since January 2021 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was also in South Florida, in Boca Raton, to train with several teammates, including new quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
“I am devastated and at a loss for words with the tragic death of Dwayne Haskins. He quickly became part of the Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in the community. Dwayne was an excellent teammate, but above all a very good friend for many. I am heartbroken,” head coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement.
The quarterback was picked 15th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. He played 16 games over two seasons with the Washington Football Team.
The former Heisman Trophy contender with Ohio State University had been pushed into the No. 1 quarterback chair in the US nation’s capital after Alex Smith suffered a serious injury.
After missing several team meetings and appearing without a face covering in public places during the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington released Haskins in late 2020.
He had started six games that season, completing five touchdown passes and being the victim of seven interceptions.