Dwayne Haskins, the 23-year-old quarterback for the Washington Football Team of the NFL, come under fire after partying maskless at a strip club on Sunday, putting him among a few of his fellow pro athletes who have been irresponsible for breaching COVID rules.
As the NFL tries to operate amidst the ongoing pandemic, athletes have largely been asked to quarantine and isolate.
This week, images surfaced on the internet where Haskins is seen partying maskless with strippers. Hours earlier, he started for Washington in its 20-15 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
On Tuesday, the football team said it was aware of the photos.
Haskins apologized through his Twitter account, stating, “It was irresponsible and immature and I accept responsibility for my action,” via ESPN.
The quarterback will likely be punished for his actions.
Earlier this season, Haskins was fined $4,833 for making reservations for a “family friend to stay at the team hotel ahead of a game against the New York Giants,” according to Forbes.
Haskins’ misstep has come at a costly time. He was already demoted to third-string. And his recent actions should cause Washington to further reconsider its commitment to the 2019 first-round pick.
This season, there have been COVID flare-ups on some NFL teams, although there were no rescheduled games during Week 15.
The pandemic is expected to continue for at least the first half of 2021. Dr. Vivek Murthy, the incoming US surgeon general said it is realistic to expect vaccines to reach people by mid-summer or early fall. However, he said, sporting leagues will likely still demand players remain disciplined and abstain from most social encounters.
Many player’s behaviors have shown that they are capable of meeting the COVID requirements, which is why most major pro leagues have successfully finished during the pandemic.
There are nearly 1,700 active players in the NFL, who have followed the guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus, expect a few players like Haskins.
So far, the pandemic has killed more than 330,000 Americans and affected over 18 million.
Athletes have been provided with the best prevention tools, including regular testing, unlike essential workers and other workers. But still, due to some players who break COVID rules, the infection rate would go higher. The article was published in Forbes.
