ESPN's Adam Schefter apologizes for 'insensitive' tweet after Dwayne Haskins' death
ESPN’s Adam Schefter apologized on his podcast Monday after a deleted tweet of his on Saturday following the death of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
Schefter was the first to report Haskins’ death on Saturday morning, but the wording in his initial tweet was heavily criticized and widely seen as offensive.
“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,” Schefter wrote in his first tweet. “Haskins would have turned 25 years old on May 3.”
Schefter deleted the tweet soon after and rephrased.
Dwayne Haskins, a standout at Ohio State before becoming Washington’s first-round pick and playing in Pittsburgh, died this morning when he got hit by a car in South Florida, per his agent Cedric Saunders. Haskins would have turned 25 years old on May 3.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 9, 2022
On his podcast on Monday, days after his tweet, Schefter apologized.
“It was insensitive, it was a mistake, and I can assure you is not my intention,” Schefter said, in part. “I wish I could have that tweet back. The focus should have been on Dwayne, who he was as a person, a husband, a friend and so much more. I wanted to apologize to Dwayne’s family, his friends, the players in the National Football League and offer my condolences to everybody close to Dwayne.”
An apology and a tribute to Dwayne Haskins. pic.twitter.com/QxjShC4ZYu
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 11, 2022
Haskins was struck and killed by a dump truck as he was attempting to cross the westbound lanes of a highway in South Florida early on Saturday morning. He was 24. Haskins was in South Florida training with Steelers players ahead of the 2022 season.
Haskins, the former Ohio State standout, was first drafted with the No. 15 overall pick in 2019 by the Washington Commanders. He spent last season as a backup with the Steelers.
