FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Dwayne Haskins was working on a second chapter of an NFL career not yet in its fourth season. The 24-year-old quarterback was spending time with some of his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates, getting ready to compete for a starting job.
That's when his life was cut short.
Haskins was killed early Saturday morning when he was hit by a dump truck while he was walking on a South Florida highway. Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Lt. Indiana Miranda said Haskins was pronounced dead at the scene.
"He was attempting to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 when there was oncoming traffic," Miranda said in an emailed statement.
Miranda didn't say why Haskins was on the highway at the time. The incident caused the road to be shut down for several hours, and Miranda called it "an open traffic homicide investigation."
A former Ohio State star who was drafted in the first round in 2019 by Washington, Haskins was released by the team after appearing in 16 games over two seasons and going 3-10 as a starter. He was signed by Pittsburgh as a developmental quarterback, but he didn't appear in a game last season.
Haskins was apparently in Florida with several teammates, including fellow quarterback Mitch Trubisky, running back Najee Harris and tight end Pat Freiermuth.
Haskins' death sparked an outpouring of grief from multiple corners of the NFL.
"I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins," Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement released Saturday morning. "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."
In a released statement, Washington coach Ron Rivera said he was "absolutely heartbroken" to learn of the death of Hawkins, a New Jersey native who moved to the D.C area in high school.
"Dwayne was a talented young man who had a long life ahead of him," Rivera added. "This is a very sad time and I am honestly at a loss for words. 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."
Ohio State posted a photo of Haskins on its Twitter feed, topped by the description: "Leader. Legend. Forever a Buckeye."
At Ohio State, Haskins set single-season program and Big Ten Conference records for touchdown passes with 50 and passing yards with 4,831 as a redshirt sophomore in 2018. He finished third in Heisman Trophy voting and was selected as MVP of the Buckeyes' Rose Bowl victory to cap their 13-1 season.
Ohio State coach Ryan Day, who was the quarterbacks coach during Haskins' final season at the school, called the player's death "beyond tragic."
"For those who knew him closely, he was much more than a great football player," Day posted on Twitter. "He had a giant heart, old soul and an infectious smile. The Ohio State community and our entire football program are heartbroken."
The Steelers gave Haskins a chance to resurrect his career in January 2021 when they signed him a month after he was released by Washington. Humbled by the decision, Haskins stressed he was eager to work hard and absorb as much as he could from veteran starter Ben Roethlisberger and backup Mason Rudolph.
Haskins made the roster as the third-stringer but dressed for a regular-season game only once, serving as the backup in a tie with the Detroit Lions after Roethlisberger was placed into the COVID-19 protocol the night before the game.
"The world lost a great person today," Steelers star T.J. Watt posted on Twitter. "When Dwayne first walked into the locker room I could tell he was an upbeat guy. He was always making people smile, never taking life for granted."
Tomlin and Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert both praised Haskins for his improvement since joining the team, which re-signed him to a one-year deal as a restricted free agent in March. He was expected to compete against Rudolph and Trubisky at training camp, with Roethlisberger announcing his retirement in January after 18 seasons as Pittsburgh's starter.
"Dwayne meant so much to so many people," Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward posted on Twitter. "His smile was infectious and he was a guy you wanted to be around. We are all in shock about losing him. We are going to miss the heck out of him as well. We lost you way too early. Luckily I got a chance to get to know you. RIP DH."
ESPN was the first to report Haskins had died.
"Devastated," Rudolph wrote on social media.