Dwayne Haskins, the former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback, died Saturday morning after being struck by a vehicle in Florida.
The Florida Highway Patrol said, Haskins, 24, was walking “on a limited access facility (highway/expressway) for unknown reasons” and tried to cross the westbound lanes of I-595 where was struck by an oncoming dump truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Florida authorities said no further information will be released until the investigation has concluded.
According to ESPN, Haskins was in Florida training with his teammates from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Details surrounding the crash haven’t been released.
While attending Ohio State, Haskins set school and Big Ten records for passing yards and touchdown passes in a single season.
Following news of his death, OSU tweeted a photo of Haskins. “Leader. Legend. Forever a Buckeye,” the university said.
OSU Head Coach Ryan Day called the loss of Haskins “tragic and difficult to process,” saying that he was more than just a great player.
“For those who knew him closely, he was much more than a great football player. He had a giant heart, old soul and an infectious smile. The Ohio State community and our entire football program are heartbroken,” Day said in a tweet.
Former OSU Head Coach Urban Meyer also expressed his condolences Saturday.
“Heartbroken to hear of the loss of Dwayne Haskins Jr. My thoughts and prayers go out to his incredible family. One of the greatest QB’s in Ohio State history, but an even better son, teammate, and friend,” he said.
Heartbroken to hear of the loss of Dwayne Haskins Jr. My thoughts and prayers go out to his incredible family. One of the greatest QB’s in Ohio State history, but an even better son, teammate, and friend. God Bless!! pic.twitter.com/lM9Z8LzMhe
— Urban Meyer (@CoachUrbanMeyer) April 9, 2022
As a sophomore, Haskins skipped his final years in Columbus and entered the 2019 draft where he signed with the Washington Commanders. He spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons with the team.
Commanders Head Coach Ron Rivera said he was heartbroken to hear of Haskins’ death.
In the 2021 offseason, Haskins was signed by the Steelers. Last month he signed a one-year restricted free agent tender with the team.
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said the team is heartbroken over the loss of Haskins and called him a friend to many.
Steelers linebacker TJ Watt also expressed his grief over the loss of Haskins.
The world lost a great person today. 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. His impact on me will last a forever.
— TJ Watt (@_TJWatt) April 9, 2022
RELATED: Record-setting Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins declares for NFL Draft
Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.
You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We’re also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.
