When the Washington Redskins selected Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins with the No. 15 overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the organization and fans were elated. The perfect cornerstone piece for the future had fallen right into their laps. The only thing left was a little piece of business between the rookie and one of the team's greatest players ever.
It has been well over 30 years since quarterback Joe Theismann suffered one of the most gruesome leg injuries that ended his career. His No. 7 jersey had never been retired by the Redskins, yet no player had worn it since that fateful day in 1985. That is about to change.
Dwayne Haskins wore No. 7 at Bullis School in nearby Potomac, Maryland. He also donned the number as a Heisman Trophy finalist with Ohio State. Now he will bring back the No. 7 jersey to FedEx Stadium next season.
Theismann, the 1983 NFL Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl XVII champion, gave his blessing for Haskins to wear his famous number and confirmed it on 106.7 The Fan.
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Right after he was taken in the first round, Haskins did an interview with NFL Network about the jersey number. He knew exactly how to find out.
"I gotta talk to Mr. Theismann first before I get that number. We'll see," he said.
Less than a week later, football fans have that answer. The decision wasn't technically up to the 69-year-old Theismann, but it was still a very classy move by Haskins, one that should help him win over the fan base even more.
"I just got off the phone just a little while ago, and I told him it was okay to wear No. 7. I've given him permission. Not that I felt like I needed to, but he was respectful enough to ask. We had a really nice conversation."
— Former Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann
Since Theismann's injury, the Redskins' quarterback situation has pretty much been a gigantic mess. Draft picks have fizzled out. Injuries have forced change. The 2018 season was a microcosm of that. Washington started Alex Smith, Josh Johnson, Colt McCoy and even Mark Sanchez last season.
So general manager Bruce Allen and head coach Jay Gruden made sure to upgrade the signal caller position by acquiring Case Keenum and drafting Haskins.
Only time will tell how the move will turn out, but it sure will be nice to see No. 7 take snaps under center for the Washington Redskins once again.
