Theismann: Haskins ‘in the loneliest situation you can be in’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Trade rumors and non-Covid-related illnesses aside, the most obvious aspect to come out of Washigton head coach Ron Rivera’s decision to not only bench Dwayne Haskins but to name him as the team’s third-string quarterback is a lack of reps.
That’s exactly what former Washington QB Joe Theismann brought up on 106.7 The Fan’s Grant and Danny show on Wednesday, saying the impetus is now on Haskins to prove he’s willing to put in the work to improve.
“I hope he takes responsibility and says, ‘Hey look, I need to figure out what I need to do to get better.’ Go to the coaches and say, ‘What do I need to do to get back in there?'” Theismann said. “Because now he’s in the loneliest situation you can be in.”
While Haskins still has the support of his teammates and friends to do what it takes to get back on the field, he’ll now have to dispell any reports of bad behavior and show the coaches what he’s got.
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“He’s not going to get many reps, if any, I would say none with Alex (Smith) showing he can do something,” Theismann continued. “So he’s not going to get any reps, he’s going to do it all on his own. He’s going to have to stay after practice. He’s going to have to do what he needs to do to get better.”
Sure, staying behind after practice and making sure you get the necessary reps could get lonely for Haskins. But as Theismann points out, grabbing a few of the practice squad players to throw to and hone in your craft to prove your worth could make it worth the while in the long run.
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“I hope Dwayne thinks of this as a setback and not a fatal blow of any kind. But again, it’s up to him. It’s all up to him,” Theismann said. “Dwayne has every chance to be a quarterback in this league. But you’re not a finished product. Every day you have to figure out a way to be better than you were.”
With more eyes on how Haskins deals with this adversity, now amidst swirling trade rumors, Theismann isn’t ready to deal Haskins away just yet.
“I would certainly not give up on him at all.”
