ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter has apologized for a tweet he sent after the death of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins during the weekend.
In a breaking-news post about Haskins being killed when he was hit by a vehicle, Schefter mentioned the former Ohio State standout “struggling to catch on” in his NFL career.
The since-deleted tweet sparked a firestorm of criticism, which Schefter acknowledged in his apology on Monday’s edition of his ESPN podcast.
“It was insensitive. It was a mistake. And I can assure you it was not my intention. I wish I could have that tweet back. The focus should have been on Dwayne — who he was as a person, a husband, a friend and so much more,” Schefter said.
“I want to apologize to Dwayne’s family, his friends, players in the National Football League and offer my condolences to everybody close to Dwayne.”
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After he deleted his original tweet, Schefter issued a second post that eliminated any reference to Haskins’ on-field performance.
Schefter said on the podcast that the focus should have been on Haskins, the person, not Haskins the athlete.
“He was known for his smile, his kind heart and his dreams,” he said on the podcast. “And sadly and tragically, those were all snuffed out before they could become a reality.”
