Dwayne Haskins had a career to forget in Washington after being a first-round draft pick. The Steelers took a flier on him, and after one year, it’s hard to differentiate if the acquisition was worth it.
With that being said, he was able to learn under the tutelage of Ben Roethlisberger. In the meantime, he developed a relationship with coach Mike Tomlin. Haskins weighed in on the forming of that connection throughout the 2021 season.
“Coach Tomlin and I, we have a great relationship,” Haskins said on Thursday via the Steelers website. “He meets with the quarterbacks every Wednesday morning. We meet for an hour and so and go over what the defense does and [its] tendencies.”
Haskins is a restricted free agent this off-season, so nobody particularly knows what his future will hold. With that being said, a return to Pittsburgh seems likely. On Tuesday, Tomlin mentioned that Haskins and Mason Rudolph will get a chance to compete for a starting spot.
That all but assures Haskins being on the team in 2022. Of course, his close relationship with Tomlin seemingly makes it easier for both sides to continue on together.
”[This season] was great because like I said before, never really got an opportunity [with a coach like that]. He wants you to know what he’s thinking, how he plans to practice, and how he wants you to lead in certain way. He’s more than just a coach to me, he’s like a mentor. And you know, he talks a lot of smack to me too.“
Haskins’ sentiment on Tomlin only continues a common theme: players’ love and admiration for the head coach. Beyond his career success, it’s a main reason Tomlin remains HC of the Steelers.
Haskins obviously has areas for improvement, but he still remains an intriguing option at quarterback. Once training camp comes around, we’ll find out just how much being around Roethlisberger for a year did for Haskins.
