Chase Claypool opens up about Dwayne Haskins’ death, emotional response

The Pittsburgh Steelers head into this year’s OTAs and preseason training camps with heavy hearts after a tragic accident took the life of quarterback Dwayne Haskins. In a recent interview, the Steelers young star receiver Chase Claypool opened up about Haskins’ death in an emotional response. Claypool also revealed the message that head coach Mike Tomlin had for the team following the awful event.

“I think coach’s biggest thing is he just didn’t talk about football, at all. ‘Cause at the end of the day, it’s really not about football,” said Claypool. “It’s about your brothers your family people you love. He just told us that you never take anything for granted, especially when it comes to life; not even football, like life. Telling people you love him. The cliche things, but the things that actually matter when you do them.”

Haskins, 24, was getting ready for his second season with the Steelers after starting his career with the Washington Commanders. He didn’t play for Pittsburgh last season, but the Steelers decided to bring him back to challenge Mitchell Trubisky for the starting job. In two years with Washington before getting to Pittsburgh, Haskins threw for 2,804 yards and 12 touchdowns.

For Claypool, Haskins’ death hit closer to home because he was with the late Steelers quarterback moments before his passing. Claypool was a part of the group of players down in Ft. Lauderdale training for the upcoming season.

“I was with him like minutes before it happened… I feel like I failed him and I feel like I could have changed the outcome and that’s why it was so heavy. And I was close. I was a minute away from stopping it essentially, changing the outcome. But you can’t really beat yourself up on that but it’s tough when you know, ‘damn if I was a minute quicker; ’cause I went back to grab him and he wasn’t there no more.”

There is no doubt that the death of Haskins still weighs heavy on the mind and heart of Claypool. But as he said in the interview, he cannot beat himself up over the unfortunate event. Claypool and the Steelers will have to fight through this tragic situation and press on through the 2022 season.