Ben Roethlisberger has spent a combined eight seasons with two of the other teammates with whom he shares the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterbacks room. But the newest addition to the group has caught his attention.
Former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins was signed by the Steelers in January with hopes he can resurrect his career.
It’s apparent the first impression Haskins made on his future Hall of Fame teammate was quite positive.
“I was just telling (new Steelers quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan) the other day that his release and throwing motion mechanics are some of the prettiest I have ever seen,” Roethlisberger said during a video conference call with media Tuesday. “I told him I wish I had that. I joked that he could throw it through a car wash, and it wouldn’t get wet.”
Haskins went through his fourth on-field organized team activities session Tuesday at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. He worked alongside the 39-year-old Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph and Josh Dobbs. Rudolph is entering his fourth season with the Steelers, and Dobbs is in his fifth in the NFL. Dobbs played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 before rejoining the Steelers last year.
Haskins was taken 15th overall by Washington in the 2019 draft but was released before the end of his second season with the team after a series of off-field situations that riled management.
On the field, Haskins completed 60.1% of his 444 passes for 2,804 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 16 games (13 starts). As a redshirt sophomore, Haskins was third in the 2018 Heisman Trophy voting behind future NFL top-10 picks Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa. Haskins had a 50-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio that season at Ohio State.
Haskins, who turned 24 last month, was considered to have a stronger arm than Murray or Daniel Jones, the other quarterbacks taken in the first round of the draft two years ago.
Haskins showed a lack of mobility and questionable decision-making with Washington, but his arm is enough that he is considered a possible successor to Roethlisberger.
“He’s learning it,” Roethlisberger said. “It’s obviously a new system for him. He’s young in the league. It’s fun to have that young energy around. Like I said, when he throws a football, it’s pretty.”
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