Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett, who made a name for himself with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens, has died. The 35-year-old athlete-turned-coach died on Tuesday in an apparent drowning in Florida.
“The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an apparent drowning that claimed the life of a tourist in the Gulf of Mexico this afternoon.”
“… A group of people in the water near the second sandbar had reportedly been struggling to make their way back to shore. One of the individuals, an adult male, went under and lifeguards say he was not breathing when pulled out. Lifesaving measures were immediately undertaken but the man was pronounced deceased at the Destin Emergency Room….”
Tom Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, honored his former teammate, writing, “We lost a great man. Thank you for everything Ryan,” in an Instagram story that included a photo of the two of them at Patriots practice.
Brady added, “Praying for the Mallett family and all their loved ones tonight.”
Mallett began his rise in football while playing college football with the Arkansas Razorbacks, after which the Patriots drafted him in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He spent five years in the NFL, going on to play for the Texans and the Ravens. Most recently, Mallett made the move to coaching, accepting a position as head coach at White Hall High School in White Hall, Ark., in 2022.
