Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett dies in an alleged drowning in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mallett was selected 74th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
Ryan Mallett, a former NFL quarterback, died in an apparent drowning near the Gulf of Mexico, police said.
At 2:12 p.m., the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and first responders were dispatched to a beach in Destin, Florida, some 50 miles east of Pensacola in Florida’s panhandle, in response to a complaint of a group of persons in the water along a sandbar who were struggling to return to land.
“One of the individuals, an adult male, went under, and lifeguards say he was not breathing when he was pulled out,” the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office stated in a statement after the event. “Lifesaving measures were immediately undertaken but the man was pronounced deceased at the Destin Emergency Room.”
Police initially did not name the guy who died in the suspected drowning, but in a subsequent update, they said they had obtained confirmation from next of kin that the man who died was Ryan Mallett, 35, a former NFL quarterback.
Mallett, who played in the NFL for seven seasons, was chosen as the 74th selection in the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of Arkansas by the New England Patriots to serve as a backup.
to the seven-time Super Bowl winner, Tom Brady. Before retiring from the NFL in 2017, Mallett had previously played for the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens.
“We are shocked and saddened by the passing of Ryan Mallett,” the Arkansas football program announced in a Twitter statement. “He was a Razorback legend with extraordinary talent and a personality to match. He guided our program to some of its proudest milestones in recent memory. He will be missed by those who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his mother, Debbie, and their entire family.”
Many of Mallett’s former NFL teammates paid tribute to the veteran quarterback on social media after learning of his passing.
“I am extremely saddened by Ryan’s tragic passing,” stated New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, according to the organization. “My thoughts and prayers are with [Mallett’s] family and the many people whose lives he touched.”
“Our thoughts go out to Ryan’s family, and we extend our deepest condolences to them today. “Ryan was a part of us,” stated Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in a club statement. “I will always remember his affection for his teammates, as well as his desire to make the most of and enjoy every football day while here. R.I.P. Ryan.
