What did Gil Brandt say about Dwayne Haskins' death? How the late Cowboys scout courted controversy in 2022

Hall of Famer and Dallas Cowboys icon Gil Brandt recently came under fire for comments about late college football standout Dwayne Haskins.

Stunning radio personalities Vic Carucci and Dan Leberfeld, Brandt spoke about Haskins' untimely demise on April 9, 2022, saying:

"I hate it anytime anybody is killed or dies. But he was a guy that was living to be dead."

The former Dallas Cowboys vice president of player personnel said:

"They told him don't, under any circumstances, leave school early. You just don't have the work habits. You don't have this, you don't have that. What did he do? Left school early. Maybe if he stayed in school a year, he would not do silly things ... (like) jogging on a highway."

The aftermath of Gil Brandt's comments about Dwayne Haskins' death

Gil Brandt's comments caused an uproar on social media, as NFL players, fans, and other individuals condemned the words of the Dallas Ring of Honor member.

Some specific comments stand out, such as that of former Ohio State linebacker and Super Bowl champion Darron Lee, who tweeted:

"Remove Gil Brandt from the Hall of Fame. That's inexcusable."

Fellow former professional and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III asked:

"Where is the empathy for Dwayne and his family?"

The befuddled commentary did not end there, as Charles Omenihu tweeted:

"You're wild @Gil_Brandt disrespectful all of it."

These are just a few comments by concerned individuals after Brandt's commentary on Dwayne Haskins' passing. Eventually, Gil Brandt got the memo and apologized to Twitter for his statements. He sent out a tweet:

"This morning, upon learning of Dwayne Haskins' passing, I reacted rather carelessly and insensitively on a broadcasted radio interview. I want to officially apologize to Mr. Haskins' family and anybody who heard my poor choice of words. I sincerely apologize. My heart goes out to his family at this difficult time."

Dwayne Haskins' football legacy

Before passing, Dwayne Haskins was an accomplished college football player and decent NFL quarterback in his short career on the Gridiron.

He enjoyed a stellar college career with the Ohio State Buckeyes and won numerous awards in college, including but not limited to the 2018 Sammy Baugh Trophy, Kellen Moore Award, Chicago Tribune Silver Football, Griese–Brees Quarterback of the Year, and First-team All-Big Ten honors.

He was so good in college that he was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Haskins played in the NFL from 2019 to 2021, mainly as a backup QB for the Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers. He ended his career with 12 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and 2,804 passing yards. He was on the Steelers roster at the time of his untimely passing.