Sports
Posted by Charlie Kirk Staff - 4.10.22

ESPN's Adam Schefter In Hot Water for Hot Take Following Death of Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins

ESPN's Adam Schefter In Hot Water for Hot Take Following Death of Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins

Sports
Posted by Charlie Kirk Staff - 4.10.22

ESPN’s NFL insider got into some trouble online Saturday for a hot take following the news that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was struck by a vehicle in Florida and killed while on a highway.

Schefter reported the news on Twitter early Saturday morning, saying “Dwayne Haskins, a standout at Ohio State before struggling to catch on with Washington and Pittsburgh in the NFL, died this morning when he got hit by a car in South Florida, per his agent Cedric Saunders.”

He added: “Haskins would have turned 25 years old on May 3.”

“He was attempting to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 when there was oncoming traffic,” Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Lt. Indiana Miranda said. According to ESPN, the man who was slotted to take over for likely future Hall of Fame QB Ben Roethlesberger “was struck by a dump truck while he was walking on a South Florida highway,” and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Social media users, many of them blue checks, took umbrage with Schefter’s take.

“How about ‘Dwayne Haskins, son, husband, buckeye brother, friend, beloved teammate has passed away’ TF his career ups and downs have to do with him unfortunately losing his life STFU!” former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones posted to Twitter. “Let his family & friends grieve instead of throwing shade. Praying for the Haskins family!!”

NFL veteran cornerback Joe Haden told Schefter to “do better.”

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the league’s 2019 MVP, also gave a response.

“@AdamSchefter you lame asf all around grown ass man and can look in the mirror and smile at yourself,” he wrote.

But others stuck up for Schefter, including sportscaster and writer Jason Whitlock of The Blaze, saying the ESPN reporter “did not denigrate Dwayne Haskins.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, “Haskins, 24, was in Florida training with other Steelers teammates, including quarterbacks and wide receivers. According to a team source, he was apparently headed to the airport to return to Pittsburgh when the accident occurred.”

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

The Daily Mail noted further: “Haskins, 24, was hit by the truck on Interstate 595 in Fort Lauderdale early Saturday morning as he attempted to cross multiple lanes of westbound traffic.”

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