Tag: Dwayne Haskins

Sam Howell becomes number 8 for Commanders Ron Rivera

Sam Howell becomes the eighth quarterback to start a game for the Commanders under Ron Rivera.

Sam Howell’s jersey number is 14; in addition, he becomes number 8 for Ron Rivera.

Sunday, when Sam Howell gets his first NFL start against NFC East rival Dallas, Howell will be the eighth quarterback to play the position for Washington in Ron Rivera’s three seasons as head coach.

It has been much more crowded behind center for the Burgundy and Gold than the majority of NFL teams. This season saw Rivera go with Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke, Wentz again and now Howell in Sunday’s season finale at FedEx Field.

The 2021 season saw Rivera start Ryan Fitzpatrick, Heinicke, Garrett Gilbert and then Heinicke again. Also, Rivera pulled Heinicke during both losses to the Cowboys, choosing to play Kyle Allen the rest of the way.

Rivera’s first season in Washington was chaotic at quarterback. Rivera started Dwayne Haskins, then benched Haskins for Kyle Allen. Allen broke his ankle, and Rivera bypassed Haskins and went with Alex Smith.

Smith’s limited leg began to break down, and Rivera had to go back to Haskins. Haskins played so poorly that he was benched against the Panthers for Tyler Heinicke. Smith returned to play the season finale in Philadelphia, but the leg so restricted Smith that Rivera gave Heinicke his first start in the playoff game against Tampa Bay.

It’s been a wild and frustrating ride at quarterback for Rivera, perhaps best illustrated by the fact that he traded two second-day draft picks for Wentz. However, after his woeful play in the loss to the Browns, Wentz may likely not even be active in the season finale.

Enter Sam Howell into the quarterback equation. Just this week, one of the more respected analysts of the Commanders, Logan Paulsen, expressed, “From what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard, Sam is not ready”.

Might it be a baptism by fire for Howell against the Cowboys?

As an eighth day begins a new week, here’s to hoping the eighth quarterback for Rivera in Washington, Sam Howell, will mark a new beginning for the Burgundy and Gold.

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When they last met: Washington and San Francisco

Washington’s last win over the 49ers came in 2020.

“When they last met” is an ongoing series during the NFL season, recalling the preceding game between Washington and the next opponent on the Commanders’ schedule.

Washington 23, San Francisco 15 – Week 14, December 13, 2020

Washington scored two defensive touchdowns and held to defeat the 49ers 23-15 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ.

Trailing the 49ers 7-6 late in the first half, Daron Payne forced San Francisco quarterback Nick Mullens to fumble. The fumble was recovered by Washington’s Chase Young at the 49er 47-yard line and Young ran down the left sideline, scoring a touchdown, giving Washington a 13-7 lead with 58 seconds remaining in the half.

Washington led 16-7 in the last seconds of the third quarter, when Mullens and the 49ers at the Washington 24, saw safety Kam Curl intercept Mullens’ pass at the 24 and return it 76 yards down the left sideline for a second defensive touchdown and a 23-7 lead heading into the final quarter.

Alex Smith struggled to move the team much, as he himself struggled physically with an injury to his severely limited lower leg. Smith, unable to move in the pocket completed only 8 of his 19 passing attempts for a mere 57 yards.

Smith was then replaced by Dwayne Haskins who completed 7 of his 12 passes for 51 yards. It was not a pretty day for the Washington offense as the 49ers had more first downs (21-12), rushing yards (108-98), net passing yards (236-95), total yards (344-193) and time of possession (32:11-27:49).

However, Washington won the turnover battle (3-1), quarterback sacks (4-2) and scored those two defensive touchdowns. Logan Thomas led Washington receivers with 43 yards in six receptions. J.D. McKissic led Washington on the ground, gaining 68 yards on 11 carries.

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Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud heads back to New York as Heisman finalist

Back-to-back years for Stroud

This should come as no surprise but Buckeye quarterback [autotag]C.J. Stroud[/autotag] will make a return trip to New York City for a second consecutive year as a Heisman Trophy finalist. All four finalist are quarterbacks, with Georgia’s [autotag]Stetson Bennett[/autotag], TCU’s [autotag]Max Duggan[/autotag], and USC’s [autotag]Caleb Williams[/autotag] who all have a chance to join a few in a select fraternity.

[autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] has a long history with the trophy, tying [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] for most winners of all time with seven. In the past five years, Stroud along with [autotag]Justin Fields[/autotag], [autotag]Chase Young[/autotag], and the late [autotag]Dwayne Haskins[/autotag] all have been finalists. The last Buckeye winner was in 2006, when quarterback Troy Smith won.

Stroud completed 66.2% of his attempts for 3,340 yards with 37 touchdowns and only six interceptions so far this season. He was also named the Big Ten’s QB of and Offensive Player of the Year. Stroud’s numbers were down from last year but still enough for him to be invited to the ceremony. Tune in this Saturday, December 10, to see who takes home the trophy this year.

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Memorable Michigan dominators: Dwayne Haskins

Dwayne Haskins had his way with the Wolverines during his #GoBucks career and we take a glance at what he accomplished against #TTUN

The late, great, Dwayne Haskins (rest in peace) is one of the most outstanding quarterbacks in Ohio State history and everyone remembers his insane 2018 season, which saw him bring home an entire trophy case. No discussion of Haskins would be complete without fans remembering his two games against Michigan and the significant wins that he was a part of.

In 2017, Haskins didn’t start the game and didn’t even throw for a touchdown, but he played a vital role coming off the bench due to the injury to J.T. Barrett. When Haskins entered the game in the third quarter, Ohio State was down 20-14 and he had a huge 22-yard run that set up the go-ahead J.K. Dobbins touchdown. Haskins finished the game only completing six of his seven attempts and rushing three times for 24 yards, but he was a vital part of the 31-20 win in 2017.

In 2018. Haskins went scorched Earth on Michigan and passed for more yards than any Ohio State quarterback in history against the Wolverines with 396 yards in a 62-39 win. This is still the series record for passing yards by an Ohio State quarterback.

Many will remember this game due to Chris Olave breaking out, but Haskins was dealing during this six-touchdown performance. Despite being the lower-ranked team at No. 10 and Michigan being ranked No. 4, The 62 points scored was the most by the Buckeyes in the history of the series and also the most points ever scored on Michigan in regulation.

Few quarterbacks have dominated Michigan like Haskins and it is awfully fun to reflect.

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The Steelers are honoring Dwayne Haskins with his ‘3’ sticker on their helmets throughout the year

This is a really cool gesture from the Steelers.

It’s still pretty shocking that we’re starting an NFL season with Dwayne Haskins on somebody’s roster.

The Steelers quarterback died earlier this year after being hit by a car in South Florida where he’d been training for the upcoming season. Fans and peers everywhere had their collective hearts broken when the news broke.

The Steelers, who were his last NFL team, have done much to honor him in the aftermath of his passing. Immediately when the news came down, Mike Tomlin released a heartfelt statement about who he was as a player and person in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers are taking things a step further this year in honoring him. They’ll be rocking Haskins’ number 3 on a helmet sticker this year.

This is awesome, man. Fans were thrilled to see this.

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Face of the position at Ohio State: What Quarterback do you think of?

Who player do you think of when someone says Ohio State quarterbacks? Check out the nominees and then vote for who is the face of the quarterback position at OSU. #GoBucks

It’s the doldrums of almost summer and you are most likely stuck between queueing up last year’s Rose Bowl victory over Utah on the DVR for the umpteenth time, reading rankings and listicles that include Ohio State, and yearning for the start of the college football season.

Sounds like a perfect time to kick off a series we are embarking upon here at Buckeyes Wire. We call it the “face of the position” and it’s really exactly as it sounds. When you think of a position group at Ohio State, who do you think of? From quarterback to linebacker, to placekicker and beyond, OSU has some of the most iconic and historical college football players that have taken their place among the best in the game.

However, one player stands out above all else when you shroud them behind the colors of scarlet and gray, and that’s where we are going to ask for your assistance.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting players that are in the running for the face of a position at Ohio State and asking for your vote in a Twitter poll to have one player identified as the one you think immediately at that position.

First up is quarterback. It’s a position that has become perhaps the face of the program over the last few years, so you’ll see a pretty recent slate of names nominated on this one. Take a look at the four we’ve highlighted and then move on to vote in our Twitter poll at the end. We can only fit four players on the poll, so feel free to write in a candidate in the comments to vote for another player, and we’ll tabulate it accordingly.

We’ll keep voting up for five days, and at the end of it, we’ll have an article revealing who the face of the quarterback position is historically at Ohio State.

Why have NFL obituaries become so unfeeling?

Why were obituaries for Marion Barber, Dwayne Haskins, and Marty Schottenheimer so unfeeling? We must understand life beyond the field.

On Wednesday, former Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears running back Marion Barber III was found dead in his Frisco, Texas apartment. Barber was just 38 years old. The cause of Barber’s death is unknown at this time, but it’s certainly tragic when anybody dies that young. The resulting obituaries should be handled with sensitivity and grace, and you’d think major news outlets would understand that.

Sadly, this is not always the case. ABC News, who repurposed the Associated Press’ report on Barber’s death via syndication, put this tweet out to link to the story.

What Barber’s yearly yardage totals from 2005 through 2011 had to do with his death is also unknown. But if we want to drill down there, Barber never had more than 238 carries in a season, and he gained at least 885 yards in three different seasons — 885 in 2008, 932 in 2009, and 975 in 2007.

But again, why are we making this part of Barber’s life a headline after his death? Barber was also named to the Pro Bowl in 2007, and he was one of the NFL’s more dominant power runners for a few seasons. Why go where ABC News did?

It’s not the only recent example of a football player receiving inappropriate biographical context upon his passing. When former NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins was killed at age 24 after he was hit by a truck in Florida on April 9, 2022, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted this:

Is it true that Haskins struggled with two NFL teams after his time at Ohio State? Yes. Is it appropriate to lead a summary of Haskins’ life with those facts? Let’s just say that we should be able to do better. Schefter eventually apologized for the tweet, but the overriding issue remains: When did we decide that leading with somebody’s most prominent struggles was the best way to encapsulate their life upon their death?

When former AFL linebacker and NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer died on February 8, 2021 at age 77 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease, the Washington Post decided to lead Schottenheimer’s obituary with this headline:

The Post changed the headline after the newspaper was justifiably obliterated in the court of public opinion, but under whose watch did this even happen in the first place? Schottenheimer ranks eighth in pro football history as a head coach with 200 regular-season wins. He was also a one-time Pro Bowler as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills, for whom helped win the AFL title in his rookie season of 1964. Yes, his 5-12 postseason record is noteworthy, but must we lead with it? Is that all there is to Marty Schottenheimer’s life, especially in an era where we’re far more prone to reading the headline from a tweet as opposed to reading the entire story? Editors must be aware of this reality, they must act accordingly, and they must certainly avoid creating clickbait headlines after somebody dies.

The New York Times published an anthology of its most legendary obituaries in 2016, and you can see how these things are supposed to be done. Even the obit for Princess Diana — “Princess Diana, Who Was Beloved, Yet Troubled by Her Crown” — gives you a more complete picture of her life than a simple shot across the bow. 

Football is a game in which its purveyors are defined to a large degree by their statistical achievements. That’s entirely fair, but it should not travel with those who have left us… as they leave us. If sports departments don’t know how to write obituaries, they should take some time to learn, or hand the job off to those who know better.

Toxicology shows Dwayne Haskins was legally drunk at time of death

Dwayne Haskins was legally drunk at the time of his death

A report released Monday by the Broward County Medical Examiner shows Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was legally drunk when he was struck by a dump truck and killed on a Florida highway on April 9.

The driver of the dump truck, who is not identified, said he was driving in the darkness when “all the sudden a male appeared standing in his travel lane.” Haskins was also “partially contacted” by a second vehicle as it attempted to swerve around him, according to authorities.

The medical report showed Haskins’ BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) was between .20 and .24. The latter figure would be more than triple the legal limit for anyone driving. There was no indication who was behind the wheel of the vehicle when it ran out of gas.

An attorney for Haskins’ widow, Kalabrya, released a statement:

Haskins’ toxicology report also notes that ketamine was detected in his urine at the time of death, though no drugs were detected in his blood.

Ketamine can be used as a sedative or treatment for depression, but it is also known as a “club drug” that can produce “dissociative sensations and hallucinations,” according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

More from USA Today:

Haskins had called his wife and said the car he was in had run out of gas and he was trying to get more fuel.

The report corroborated that while adding more information:

 Haskins’ car was found on the side of the highway, a “female companion” was in the vehicle and told the Florida Highway Patrol that Haskins had left the vehicle to try to find gas. The woman’s relationship to Haskins was not known, according to the report.

The report added  a Steelers official told the medical examiner’s office that the night before his death, Haskins went to dinner with a cousin or friend, whose name was “Joey,” and then later went to a nightclub, “possibly in Miami.”

“They drank heavily and at some point, they got into a fight, separating,” the report states.

 

Terry McLaurin on Dwayne Haskins: ‘He made me a better man and a better friend’

Terry McLaurin spoke at Dwayne Haskins’ celebration of life Saturday in New Jersey.

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin first met Dwayne Haskins in 2016 when Haskins was a true freshman quarterback at Ohio State. At the time, McLaurin was entering his third season with the Buckeyes. The pair formed a fast friendship.

On Saturday, McLaurin spoke at his friend’s celebration of life held in Rockaway Township, New Jersey. Haskins was tragically killed on April 9 when he was struck by a truck in South Florida.

McLaurin on Haskins: “He made me a better man and a better friend.”

In addition to being teammates for three seasons at Ohio State, Haskins and McLaurin were picked by the then-Washington Redskins in the 2019 NFL draft. Haskins went No. 15 overall, and McLaurin went No. 76 overall.

The two would remain teammates for two seasons in Washington.

McLaurin wasn’t Haskins’ only former Washington teammate to speak at his service. Wide receiver Steven Sims Jr., who also came to Washington in 2019 as an undrafted free agent from Kansas, offered the following words about his friend.

Sims reunited with Haskins in Pittsburgh last September.

Haskins’ parents and sister also spoke at his celebration of life service. The family is holding another celebration of life Sunday at his high school, The Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland.