© Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Remembering Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins
The Pittsburgh Steelers passes was tragically killed two years ago this week.
PITTSBURGH -- Two years ago, Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the rest of the football world was struck with tragic news after quarterback Dwayne Haskins was killed in a vehicle incident in Florida.
The 24-year-old was struck by a vehicle while crossing a Florida interstate during a week of training with some of his Steelers teammates. Two years later, his memory still reminds many football fans of the thrilling athlete he was, and the impact he had on the game.
The Player's Tribune reminded us of a heartwarming note he wrote to his mother, thanking her for being a supportive figure during his football journey.
"Thank you for letting me make my own decisions.
"Like when I had committed to play at Maryland out of high school, and then the coaching staff got fired, so I didn’t know what to do. We went and met with the new coaches, and even though they were great, I wasn’t sure if it was the right fit for me anymore. I was stressing. I had a big decision to make. I was also looking at Florida State, Notre Dame, Penn State and, of course, Ohio State. It was a really tough choice.
"I asked you what I should do.
"And instead of telling me what to do, you asked about what I wanted. We talked about the pros and cons of each school. We talked about Ohio State, and how when I was younger and I went to their football camps, I had always said that one day I wanted to be a Buckeye.
"You told me that if that’s what I wanted, then that’s what I should do. You told me to believe in myself — to bet on myself — and to follow my heart and go to my dream school.
"And it was the best decision I have ever made," Haskins wrote.
Haskins played for the Steelers in 2021 and was set to compete for the starting job against Mitch Trubisky in 2022 after Ben Roethlisberger retired. His impact as a teammate was felt by all of those in the locker room, as the team remembered their friend throughout the season.
