The Washington Football Team made major waves this morning when they announced that former first-round quarterback Dwayne Haskins had been released from the franchise. In nearly two seasons with the franchise, Haskins failed to establish himself as their quarterback of the future. Despite being the 15th selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, he appeared in just 16 games before his release.
Making 13 starts along the way, Haskins compiled 2,808 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 49 sacks, and completed 60.1% of his passes. That’s far from the numbers the gunslinging quarterback posted in college with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Further, Haskins posted a 3-10 record in the starting role.
“I told him that I believe it benefits both parties that we go our separate ways,” head coach Ron Rivera said in a statement shared by the team. “We want to thank Dwayne for his contributions these last two seasons and wish him well moving forward.”
Dwayne Haskins Released
While Haskins was benched by Rivera earlier in the season in large part for his on-field performance, it’s his off-the-field behavior that sealed his fate. After the team’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks one week ago, Haskins was pictured maskless at a party involving exotic dancers.
His attendance at that party not only violated the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols but struck a nerve with his coach. Rivera is in the midst of a winning battle with throat cancer. Of course, his diagnosis puts him in a higher-risk category in terms of virus transmission. The maskless party was far from the only rift between Washington and Haskins. On several occasions during his tenure, his lack-of-accountability let down his coaches. However, the maskless party did seem to be the final straw.
With Dwayne Haskins released, Washington is in a tight spot at the quarterback position. Alex Smith is struggling with a calf injury. Backup Taylor Heinicke has just one career NFL start. Neither seems like the long term answer for Washington’s quarterback position.
What further complicates the situation? Washington competes for the NFC East Championship on Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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