The first time I had a real sense of how powerful social media was, was when I found out my friend had been sexually assaulted.
I Never Really Had That Before is a song by the American alternative rock band The National. It was released on September 22, 2017 as the lead single from their upcoming eighth studio album.
Dwayne Haskins of the Pittsburgh Steelers has had a poor start to his NFL career, despite great hopes when he entered the league out of Ohio State. From being a top-15 selection in the 2019 NFL Draft to battling for his football life in Pittsburgh, he has come a long way.
Haskins, on the other hand, was in a bad position with the Washington Redskins, which didn’t assist his confidence or ability to succeed on the field. Now, his recent remarks, which reflected badly on his former coaches, Jay Gruden and Ron Rivera, may have only emphasized how terrible it was.
Dwayne Haskins went from being a standout at Ohio State to battling for a place on the roster.
With his performance at Ohio State in college, Dwayne Haskins set a high standard for himself. During his 2018 season with the Buckeyes, he passed for 4,831 yards, 50 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, helping him finish third in the Heisman Trophy race. In addition, he guided OSU to a 13-1 record.
His performance earned him the No. 15 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Washington Football Team, but he hasn’t looked anything like he did in college since.
As a rookie in 2019, Haskins appeared in nine games and started seven of them, passing for 1,365 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. In seven games and six starts in 2024, the young quarterback threw for 1,439 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
After a series of disappointing incidents, some of which were his fault, Washington decided to dismiss Haskins after Week 16 of 2024. In January, he signed a reserve/future deal with the Steelers.
According to the Steelers’ official website, Haskins has played in three preseason games for Pittsburgh, completing 28 of his 42 throws for 271 yards and a score. With the chance to win a roster spot, he will start the team’s final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.
Mike Tomlin, the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, was complimented by him.
On Aug. 21, 2024, Dwayne Haskins of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to pass during a preseason game against the Lions. | Getty Images/Joe Sargent
Dwayne Haskins talked to the media before of his first preseason start with the Steelers, and he mentioned one area where Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has pleased him so far.
According to the Steelers’ YouTube channel, Haskins stated, “I feel like with this offense, we do a lot of different things that can expose a defense.” “… The most important aspect of my preparation is that I believe Coach Tomlin does an excellent job of providing you with a scouting report on who you’ll be facing that week. That was something I’d never experienced before. In terms of knowing who the senior analysis coach is, who the defensive coordinator is, who the DB coach is, what he likes to do, and what methods the corners use. That’s all taken care of before we even start practicing that week.”
“That’s really amazing to be able to have a head start in terms of what you’re looking at and seeing,” he added. As a result, I believe it has adequately prepared me to face Carolina.”
Tomlin works very hard, which is why he has accomplished so much as an NFL head coach. The portion of Haskins’ statement that raised the most eyebrows was when he stated, “I never truly had it before.”
That statement speaks volumes about Ron Rivera and Jay Gruden.
We all know Washington has been a disaster on the field throughout the years, and Jay Gruden has done nothing to assist them improve. He coached for five seasons at WFT, although the team only reached the playoffs once. Then, in Haskins’ first year, Gruden led Washington to a 0-5 start, and the club dismissed him after the fifth week.
Ron Rivera was instrumental in Washington’s postseason appearance in 2024, but not because the club performed well. With a 7-9 record, WFT reached the playoffs despite playing in the weakest division in sports, the NFC East.
It’s easy to speculate how much more success Haskins might have had if he’d been placed in the proper environment and surrounded by coaches who ensured their young quarterback was completely equipped. Being an NFL quarterback is one of the most difficult positions in sports, so being there for them while they’re young is critical.
Haskins — who bears some responsibility for the team’s demise in Washington — seemed to be a man who didn’t know what he was doing on the field, which is a bad reflection of Gruden, Rivera, and, to some extent, 2019 interim coach Bill Callahan. We’ve seen a lot of quarterbacks like him be picked into bad circumstances and ultimately fail. If they had gone to a city like Pittsburgh, where the head coach is always prepared, their tales could have been different.
Fortunately for Haskins, he’ll get a second shot with the Steelers. Hopefully, he will be able to disprove everyone in Washington.
Sports Reference and Pro Football Reference provided the statistics.
Dwayne Haskins Kicks Off His Road to Redemption at the Hall of Fame Game, and He’s in the Perfect Position to Do It
I Never Really Had That Before is a short film that explores the idea of what it means to be human. It is a poignant and thought-provoking piece of work. Reference: you were never really here netflix.
