The Dwayne Haskins era in Washington is over, but Ron Rivera still has his regrets.
Last summer, Rivera elected to work Haskins exclusively with the starters at training camp, virtually handing him the starting QB job months before the season began. It’s a decision that Rivera said he would not repeat.
“I should have made as big a competition as possible, and that’s on me,” Rivera told reporters
on Thursday. “I wanted to try and find a guy. I thought [Haskins] was ready to take a step and take every opportunity.”
Despite a strong performance during training camp, Haskins’ stint as the starting quarterback didn’t last long. The 23-year-old found himself benched after four games.
In October, Washington fined Haskins for breaking COVID-19 protocols. Later in the season, Haskins received another fine and lost his captain status for breaking protocols a second time after a strip club video of him emerged.
Haskins, Washington’s first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being released in December. With Washington, he recorded 12 touchdown passes, 14 interceptions and five fumbles lost in 16 lackluster games.
Entering his second season helming Washington, Rivera plans on holding an open competition prior to naming a starting quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Taylor Heinicke, Kyle Allen and Steven Montez are all vying for the spot.