Haskins gets chance to learn from mistakes
PITTSBURGH – At the precise instant when Dwayne Haskins sat on a bench inside Heinz Field recently, discussing off-the-field drama that left him on the NFL scrapheap – as he finished a thought with, “I’ve just tried to grow from it” – came a voice out of nowhere that interrupted the flow and echoed.
Loud. Precise. Booming. Maybe Moses was struck similarly at the burning bush.
“Don’t be highlighting him, man!” the voice commanded. “He’s just trying to blend into the crowd, trying to live life, and you want to highlight him.”
Look up, and it’s Mike Tomlin, a heckler dressed in black. The gregarious Steelers coach always has some sort of message to drop from his back pocket. In this case, it spoke to the challenge facing Haskins, a first-round quarterback who flopped in Washington.
Tomlin’s presence also provided a clue about the support Haskins needs if he’s going to succeed with this comeback attempt.
There’s no debate that Haskins, 24, blew it in a big way, prompting Washington coach Ron Rivera to flat-out cut him in December. Haskins showed up at a D.C. nightclub – without wearing a mask in the middle of a pandemic – to celebrate someone’s birthday hours after a subpar performance contributed to a loss.
For that boneheaded move, which wasn’t his first violation of the league’s COVID-19 protocols, he was fined $40,000 and stripped of his team captaincy. A few days later, after another shaky game, Rivera waived Haskins. And no team put in a claim for a man who threw for 50 touchdowns in his final season at Ohio State.
Now that’s a message.
‘Having some more wisdom’
“Being released was kind of a blessing, because I wanted to be myself and I wanted to figure out how to do it and be around the right people to do it,” Haskins told USA TODAY Sports. “Getting released is tough for anybody. I realized that I have to work harder, perform better. Of course, I take those things in perspective. But having an opportunity to come here … I mean, in college I pretty much wanted to be a Steeler. I watched Ben (Roethlisberger) growing up. This atmosphere right now, it’s great for me to blossom not only into the player I want to be but the person as well.
“There are some things I could have done differently, some things I could have changed, decisions I could have made that would have helped me for sure in Washington and with the things that went on over there. I’m thankful for everything I went through, because it gave me a lot of things to work with as far as knowing and understanding life and having some more wisdom.”
You’ve heard reclamation themes before. When it comes from Haskins, upbeat and energetic, it is easy to sense his urgency as he competes against Mason Rudolph and Joshua Dobbs for the backup slots behind Roethlisberger. Life is filled with twists, turns and teaching moments. Here’s to hoping that with self-reflection, he will own up to the issues of immaturity that factored into his case. He might also recognize that he’s a grown man who can raise his standards for comparison.
“I just feel like, 24 years old, I know a lot of kids right now are not nearly half as mature as I am, or if in this position wouldn’t even know how to deal with it,” he said. “Of course I can be hard on myself, and I have. I went through a little bit of depression, a little bit of ‘why me?’ with stuff. I always prided myself on being a good person, being there for people, being a good friend and teammate. And a lot of people took advantage of me, which I didn’t see coming. It was kind of a wake-up call about how real life is, how you can make a certain amount of money or have a certain opportunity …
“I felt like people around me I thought were genuine weren’t necessarily genuine. And it distracted me not only in my off-the-field life but on the field as well. Being here, it’s a great opportunity to cut out distractions.”
Haskins suggests that playing in his hometown, which seemed like such a good idea when Washington picked him 15th overall in 2019, became a burden. That might be a handy excuse. But other reasons Washington was the wrong place at the wrong time were deeper than that.
When he was drafted (aligning with team owner Dan Snyder’s desire), thencoach Jay Gruden wasn’t bullish on the notion. Then Gruden was dumped and his successor, Rivera, had no investment in a quarterback he inherited. The time and commitment that Haskins needed to develop weren’t there. And the franchise had other issues that stemmed from sexual harassment allegations that resulted in an NFL investigation, and the departures of several non-players alleged to engage in misconduct.
Still, it’s rare that a franchise would give up on a first-round quarterback in less than two years.
“There was a lot going on,” said Haskins, who started 13 games over two seasons and notched just three victories. “New coach. Management. A lot of offthe-field stuff that was happening behind closed doors that everybody knows about. I’m not going to sit here and talk about people – there comes a time and place for that – but it was very challenging.”
Learning from Big Ben
The Steelers signed Haskins in late January to a one-year, $850,000 contract. In NFL terms, it is a bare-bones investment. With no competition for his services, Pittsburgh didn’t even need to give him a signing bonus. But the upside is inviting, considering the powerful arm Haskins brings. And if Roethlisberger can stay healthy, the Steelers could view Haskins as an emergency option who might be developed for the future.
Haskins sees Tomlin as a “great mentor, kind of like a father figure.”
While Tomlin has long had a reputation for relating well to players, he maintains that he hasn’t spent much time individually with Haskins.
“I acknowledge that he has firstround-like talent, but we haven’t given him any special concessions,” Tomlin told USA TODAY Sports. “He’s put his hand in the pail and gone to work with the rest of them.”
Tomlin insists that Haskins’ off-thefield matters haven’t been an issue since joining the Steelers.
“I know what transpired in Washington,” Tomlin said. “I don’t care about what transpired in Washington.”
It’s fair to wonder what Tomlin needed to hear from Haskins in gauging his mindset, what he needed him to know, before he was signed.
“Are you kidding me?” Tomlin shot back. “This guy was a first-rounder who got run out of town inside of 24 months, and no one claimed him. He’s been through enough.
“I didn’t have to say much. He was at ground zero by the time he was sitting in front of me.”
Talent often has a way of generating second chances in the NFL. That’s certainly true with Haskins, who might be on a short-term contract but has allowed himself to think long term and position himself as a potential successor to Roethlisberger, who at 39 has reached the point of his career where he assesses retirement on a year-to-year basis.
“It’s definitely in the back of my mind and the front of my mind,” Haskins said. “But every day is the most important day. Right now, here, it’s an opportunity to not only compete for No. 2, but to take over for a guy like Ben. I just want to put in the work every day, because that will lead to me eventually having an opportunity to compete for the job.”
While Tomlin undoubtedly can have a hands-on effect on Haskins’ development, Roethlisberger is also essential. Haskins is effusive in his praise of Roethlisberger for helping him get acclimated to the offense directed by new coordinator Matt Canada. Help from a veteran quarterback is not always automatic.
“I’ve heard a lot about that,” Haskins said. “I kind of went through a little of that in Washington, with guys not wanting to look out for you.”
Although Haskins didn’t mention Alex Smith, his bond with his former teammate – who previously helped groom Patrick Mahomes and Colin Kaepernick – apparently wasn’t considered tight. With Roethlisberger, though, Haskins said it would be detrimental if he didn’t try to learn from the veteran.
“Sometimes, I go out of my way to ask him stuff or to be around him, even when I don’t necessarily need to be,” Haskins said. “Ben helps me, but sometimes it’s great to just watch him, because he does so much communicating with receivers and tight ends, or going over protections. If you’re just sitting in the back and not paying attention, you’re losing out on a lot of great information.”
Haskins will get ample opportunity to demonstrate what he’s learned during a preseason competition considered too close to call. There’s a legitimate chance to unseat Rudolph as the No. 2 quarterback. Take that from The Voice.
“Several years ago,” Tomlin recalled, “we had Landry Jones, Mason Rudolph and Dobbs. Landry Jones was the ‘backup’ and at the end of the journey, those other two guys outperformed him, and Landry was the guy that was out. We’re going to roll that ball out there, man, and let those guys sort themselves out.”
Which is one way Haskins wants to separate himself from the crowd.