Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins hit and killed by dump truck on Florida interstate

The football world is in shock to learn that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins died early Saturday morning after he was struck by a dump truck while he was walking on a South Florida highway.

Florida authorities said Haskins, 24-years-old, was pronounced dead at the scene. “He was attempting to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 when there was oncoming traffic,” Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Lt. Indiana Miranda in an emailed statement. No information has been provided as to why Haskins was on the highway near Fort Lauderdale at the time. The accident caused the highway to be shut down for several hours, and Miranda said it’s “an open traffic homicide investigation.”

Haskins was training in South Florida with other Steelers quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers.

In a statement, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said, “I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins. 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.”

Following a  standout 2018 season at Ohio State, Haskins was selected 15th overall by the Washington Commanders in the 2019 draft. Haskins spent two seasons with Washington before signing in Pittsburgh before last season.

Roethlisberger remembered Haskins in a tweet, writing, “I only had the privilege to know D-Hask for a short time, but in that time I got to meet a young man that didn’t seem to ever have a bad day. He came to work every day with a smile on his face and energy and love in his heart. … Wish we had more time together on this earth, but I will cherish the time and the laughs we had”!

Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert both praised Haskins for his improvement since joining the team, and the Steelers re-signed him to a one-year deal as a restricted free agent in March. He was expected to compete with Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky for a spot.