Dwayne Haskins’ Widow Files Lawsuit Claiming Late Husband Was Target of Blackmail and Robbery Conspiracy

According to court documents, cited by The Athletic, the lawsuit alleges that the former Pittsburgh Steelers player was drugged. The lawsuit also claims that Boca Raton Hotel Group, Drive Shack Palm Beach, Blue Anchor Pub, and E11Even Miami allowed Haskins and other customers to use drugs, cited by The Athletic.

“The suit names four individuals, alleging they “committed battery” on Haskins “by drugging” him “to blackmail and rob him and causing him and/or contributing to cause him severe injury and death,” The Athletic writes.

According to The Athletic: “The suit also alleges negligence by the Florida Department of Transportation as well as an unnamed contractor for the department. Roam Rental Car, the owner of the vehicle Haskins was driving the night of his death, is also named in the suit, which alleges the company provided Haskins with a rental car “that was unreasonably dangerous and hazardous because it was mechanically damaged and ran out of gas.”

Haskins died in 2022 after his vehicle was hit by a dump truck as he traveled on Interstate 695 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

According to The New York Times, Haskins was a 2019 NFL first-round draft pick of the Washington Commanders, going fifteenth overall. The starting quarterback for Ohio State University, Haskins threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns. The Highland Park, New Jersey, native finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy votes, and he also led the Buckeyes to a Rose Bowl victory and a 13-1 record.

Haskins was released by the Commanders, and in 2021, he signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins,” Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement, according to The New York Times. “He quickly became part of our Steelers family upon his arrival in Pittsburgh and was one of our hardest workers, both on the field and in our community. Dwayne was a great teammate but even more so a tremendous friend to so many. I am truly heartbroken.”