Ryan Mallett died at the age of 35
Tom Brady mourns drowned ex-colleague
06/28/2023, 11:28 am
The NFL mourns: Former quarterback Ryan Mallett dies in a swimming accident in Florida. The 35-year-old had played for the New England Patriots, among others. Football legend Tom Brady and star coach Bill Belichick offer their condolences.
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett died Tuesday (local time) after apparently drowning near a Florida beach. That shared that Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office in a press release. Rescuers were called to a beach in the town of Destin in the afternoon because a group of people in the water were struggling to get to shore, the statement said. Mallett, 35, was pulled underwater and was not breathing when lifeguards pulled him out, according to the sheriff’s office. He subsequently died at a local hospital.
Mallett was a varsity star with the Arkansas Razorbacks before being drafted in the third round by the New England Patriots in 2011. He spent seven years in the NFL with the Patriots, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens. The former quarterback played in 21 games and accumulated 1,835 passing yards, nine touchdown passes and ten interceptions. His career ended in 2017.
Brady: “Thanks for everything Ryan”
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Coach Ryan Mallett,” wrote White Hall, the Arkansas school district where Mallett last coached high school football, in a post on its website. “Coach Mallett was a beloved coach and educator. We ask that you keep your prayers in your thoughts on his family, team, students, fellow coaches and the staff of the White Hall School District.”
“We are shocked and saddened by the passing of Ryan Mallett,” the Arkansas Football Program said in a statement released on Twitter. “He was a Razorback legend with larger than life talent and a personality second to none. He guided our program to some of the finest moments in recent memory. Everyone who knew him will miss him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his mother Debbie and his extended family.” Mallett threw for 7,493 yards and 62 touchdowns in two seasons in Arkansas. In 2009, he led the Razorbacks to victory in the Liberty Bowl, for which he was named Offensive MVP. He was seventh in the voting for the 2010 Heisman Trophy, the award for the best college football player in the United States.
The New England Patriots selected Mallett 74th overall in the 2011 NFL draft. Coach Bill Belichick said of superstar Tom Brady’s backup at the time: “We just felt like he’s a good player. He’s won everywhere he’s been – high school, college. He’s amazing to talk to. ” In a statement Tuesday, Belichick said he was “extremely saddened by Ryan’s tragic passing” and offered his thoughts and prayers to Mallett’s family “and the many people whose lives he touched.” Brady wrote in a social media post, “We’ve lost a great man. Thanks for everything Ryan.”