Dwayne Haskins Jr. is being remembered in the D.C. area for his contributions to the game of football and his personality after the former Washington quarterback was killed over the weekend.
Haskins, 24, died early Saturday morning after being hit by a dump truck while attempting to cross a South Florida highway.
Haskins was pronounced dead on the scene. No explanation has emerged as to why he was on the highway at the time.
A standout quarterback at Ohio State, Haskins was a first-round draft pick for Washington in 2019, where he played two seasons before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“He was a young man with a tremendous amount of potential who had an infectious personality,” Washington Commanders co-owners Dan and Tanya Snyder said in a statement. “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.”
Washington head coach Ron Rivera, who coached Haskins during his time with the team, called him “a talented young man who had a long life ahead of him.”
“This is a very sad time and I am honestly at a loss for words,” Rivera said. “I know I speak for the rest of our team in saying he will be sorely missed. Our entire team is sending our heartfelt condolences and thoughts and prayers to the Haskins family at this time.”
Commanders President Jason Wright said Haskins “was a young man of great intellect who cared deeply about his loved ones and the world.”
“Praying for his wife, parents, and all who knew him as we grieve the loss of the man and the impact he was poised to have on society with his unique gifts,” Wright said.
Haskins graduated from The Bullis School in Potomac, Md., in 2016.
“Dwayne was known as a standout athlete at Bullis, Ohio State, and in the NFL, and here at Bullis we also knew him as an honorable, smart, and family-oriented young man who graduated from college in three years,” the school said in a post on its site. “His loss will be felt deeply by so many people.”
Football wasn’t the only sport that reflected on Haskins’ life. Before the Washington Capitals’ Sunday game against the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, the team paid tribute to Haskins with a moment of silence.
The Pittsburgh Penguins did the same on Saturday before they hosted the Capitals.