Matich: Haskins’ partying goes ‘far beyond the typical knucklehead move’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The most dramatic week of Dwayne Haskins’ NFL career is coming to a close, as the quarterback prepares to make his second straight start just six days after photos surfaced online of him partying without a mask, a clear violation of the NFL’s coronavirus protocols.
Haskins was fined and stripped of his captaincy. But with Washington chasing a division title and Alex Smith unable to play, Haskins remains the best option for the team at QB.
NBC Sports Washington analyst Trevor Matich agrees with Ron Rivera’s decision to keep Haskins on the roster but said on Washington Football Pregame Live that the head coach should get rid of him as soon as he’s not needed anymore.
“I would play him, because we have to focus on the task at hand,” Matich said. “But that’s not all… I would tolerate it as long as I needed it. Then, I would throw him out the door so hard he wouldn’t land until Pennsylvania.”
Those are strong words from Matich. But, the former Washington offensive lineman explained why he would be so “livid” at Haskins if he was the QB’s teammate.
“I would be beyond livid. The potential consequences here go far beyond the typical knucklehead move,” Matich said. “He risked not only the availability of himself but the availability and the health, if I’m his teammates, of myself and my family.”
The latest incident wasn’t the first time Haskins violated COVID-19 protocols. In October, Haskins was fined for booking a reservation for a family friend at the team’s hotel ahead of Washington’s Week 8 game against the Giants.
By violating the league’s protocols once again, Matich said this is more than just Haskins making a dumb mistake.
“I don’t see this as a mistake. I see this as a series of choices,” Matich said. “He was caught violating COVID protocols in October and fined. He was caught violating COVID protocols again in December and fined. This is something that goes far beyond a kid that needs to grow up. This is a kid who willfully and continuously puts his teammates and their families at risk. “
By keeping him on the roster, Haskins was given another chance by Rivera. In his media availability on Wednesday, the 23-year-old was thankful for that chance and said all the right things about how he knows he can’t mess up again.
“But hey, I hope he enjoyed the party,” Matich said, sarcastically concluded his rant. “It looked pretty fun.”
