Gil Brandt Apologizes for 'Disgraceful' Comments About Dwayne Haskins Dying

Former Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt on Saturday issued an apology for remarks he made about the sudden death of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins. His comments were widely derided in the football community, with Steelers teammate Cam Heyward calling them "disgraceful."

The 24-year-old athlete was struck and killed by a dump truck on Saturday while walking on the side of a highway in Florida. A graduate of Ohio State University, where he was named a Rose Bowl MVP in 2019, Haskins played for the Steelers and the Washington Commanders before his career was cut tragically short.

Brandt, 90, reacted to Haskins' death on a radio show shortly after hearing the news for the first time. He said that the athlete "was living to be dead, so to speak" and also claimed that draft evaluators had criticized his work ethic when he was looking to make the jump from college to the NFL, according to the New York Post.

"It was always something," Brandt said. "It was one of those, 'I'm not offsides, but they keep calling me for offsides.' It's a tragic thing. Anytime somebody dies it's tragic, especially when you're 24 years old and you've got your whole life ahead of you. Maybe if he'd have stayed in school an [extra] year, he wouldn't do silly things."

In the wake of the backlash to his comments, Brandt's official Twitter account posted an apology, saying that he spoke "carelessly" and offering condolences to Haskins's family.

"This morning while learning of Dwayne Haskins' passing, I reacted carelessly and insensitively on a radio interview," Brandt tweeted. "I want to apologize to Mr. Haskins' family and anyone who heard my poor choice of words. I truly apologize. My heart goes out to his family at this difficult time."

Heyward, a defensive tackle for the Steelers, was among those to chastise Brandt for his comments.

"I do not know or will assume to but please don't speak on my friend," Heyward wrote in a tweet. "He will be missed and your words are disgraceful. We are all hurting right now."

Some took their criticism further, calling for Brandt to be removed from the professional football hall of fame for his remarks. Darron Lee, another Ohio State alum and former player for the New York Jets, was among those making the call.

"Remove Gil Brandt from the Hall of Fame," Lee wrote in a tweet. "That's inexcusable."

"I am devastated and at a loss for words with the unfortunate passing of Dwayne Haskins," Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin wrote in a statement on Saturday. "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."