Michael Irvin on Dwayne Haskins' death: 'Hate that his time got cut short'

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Dwayne Haskins was struck and killed in a tragic incident along a South Florida highway over the weekend and his death resonated across the NFL world.

The former Washington and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback came into the NFL before the start of the 2019 season. He was Washington’s first-round pick of the 2019 draft and started 13 games for the team between 2019 and 2020. He was let go after the 2020 season and was signed by the Steelers before the 2021 season. He served primarily in the backup role.

Michael Irvin, a former Dallas Cowboys legend who serves as an analyst for the NFL Network and continues to watch the team closely, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview he only met Haskins maybe once and felt "badly" when he heard the news of the quarterback’s passing.

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Michael Irvin of  NFL Network looks on during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 3, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

"I felt so badly when I heard that news. I felt badly when I watched some of the things that went down with him in the few years he had in the NFL. I thought he was thrown in a tough situation in Washington. It’s a tough situation," Irvin said.

Irvin, who recently became an investor in the education platform TradeZing, said he was hoping Haskins was going to continue to develop and progress back into a starting quarterback.

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Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Washington Redskins and Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys pose for a picture after swapping jerseys at the end of the game at FedExField on Sept. 15, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Will Newton/Getty Images)

"There’s a lot of pressure put on quarterbacks coming into this league, and the quarterback has to carry this mantra, and it’s a difficult mantra to carry. They expect you to be a certain way and lead a bunch of grown men, and I thought he needed a little more time," Irvin said. "He could have developed into all that he wanted to be in the National Football League.

"I just hate that his time got cut short, and I’m praying for his family and his friends."

Haskins was killed early Saturday morning when he was struck by a dump truck while walking along a South Florida highway, officials said. Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman Lt. Indiana Miranda said Haskins was pronounced dead at the scene.

"He was attempting to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 when there was oncoming traffic," Miranda said in a statement.

Miranda said the incident is "an open traffic homicide investigation."

Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Washington Redskins signs autographs for fans prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at FedExField on Sept. 15, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Will Newton/Getty Images)

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It wasn’t immediately known why Haskins was traveling on the highway at the time. He appeared to be in South Florida over the course of the week practicing with Steelers teammates Mitchell Trubisky, running back Najee Harris and tight end Pat Freiermuth.