After the untimely death of Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins last Saturday, tributes poured in from all across the country, including in Pittsburgh. This weekend, Steelers fans started a shrine for the late Haskins at Heinz Field on the outside gates to commemorate his life. A similar shrine was created by Ohio State fans outside of Ohio Stadium in Columbus.
Haskins’ death shook the Steelers’ locker room to its core. He had just been working out with teammates in Florida on the invitation from Mitch Trubisky. So, to say the players were shellshocked at losing a teammate who had made an enormous impact in the locker room in one year is an understatement.
The Steelers signed Haskins in January of 2021. He came in not promised anything and was told he would have to fight for a roster spot. He did it throughout training camp and the preseason and ended up winning the QB3 job in Pittsburgh. He never took a regular-season snap but started the preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.
The shrine itself is centered around a photo of Haskins in a Steelers uniform that reads, “Rest in Peace Dwayne Haskins Jr. 1997-2022”. Below the photo are some flowers adorning the bottom of the gate, including a group of flowers in a Steelers vase. Directly below the photo is another photo of Haskins that says, “Rest In Peace Simba. Forever in our hearts,” with a heart drawn in the bottom right corner of the photo.
The shrine has expanded in recent days and has a somber mood of appreciation and devastation from fans around the Pittsburgh area. It is located outside the C gate at Heinz Field if fans wish to add to the shrine.