- Ryan Mallett was a former NFL and University of Arkansas quarterback.
- He played for the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens.
- His death was announced via social media on June 27, 2023.
By all accounts, Ryan Mallett enjoyed a remarkable career. After playing at the University of Arkansas, he was drafted to the New England Patriots in 2011, where according to PEOPLE, he’d go on to sometimes play backup as quarterback to the legendary Tom Brady. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2015-2017.
Sadly, on June 27, 2023, reports emerged that the talented athlete had passed away in Destin, Florida after a drowning accident, per Sports Illustrated. According to the outlet, Deltaplex News first reported that the 35-year-old former quarterback had been transported from a beach to a Florida hospital, where he was pronounced dead on Tuesday. The NFL issued a statement on Tuesday. “The NFL family is deeply saddened by the passing of Ryan Mallett. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones,” they wrote via Twitter.
As details on his alleged drowning emerge, here’s what to know about the remarkable life of Ryan Mallett.
He was a head coach.
News of Ryan’s death was confirmed via Facebook by his employers at White Hall School District in Arkansas on June 27. “It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Coach Ryan Mallett,” they wrote. “Coach Mallett was a beloved coach and educator. We ask that you remember his family, team, students, fellow coaches, and the White Hall School District staff in your prayers.”
He was appointed head coach at the school in August of 2022, after previously being an assistant coach at Mountain Home High School in Mountain Home, Arkansas, beginning in 2020.
Ryan was beloved.
Former teammate J.J. Watt was among the first to post a Twitter tribute. “Horrible news to read about Ryan Mallett. Gone way too soon. Rest in Peace brother,” he wrote. The Arkansas Razorbacks also issued a heartfelt statement in the hours after the news broke. “We are shocked and saddened by the passing of Ryan Mallett,” they wrote via Twitter. “He was a Razorback legend with larger-than-life talent and a personality to match. He led our program to some of our best moments in recent memory. He will be missed by everyone who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his mother Debbie and his extended family.”
Horrible news to read about Ryan Mallett.
Gone way too soon.
Rest in Peace brother.
🙏🏼
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) June 27, 2023
He was once arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Despite his success, Ryan had his troubling moments. According to the Associated Press, the former Ravens QB was arrested in Northwest, Arkansas on suspicion of DWI on September 11, 2019, after an alleged collision involving two vehicles.
Ryan’s death appeared to be accidental.
According to MSN, Ryan’s death by alleged drowning appeared to be both accidental and weather related. “A group of people in the water near the second sandbar had reportedly been struggling to make their way back to shore,” the Okaloosa sheriff’s office explained in a statement. “One of the individuals, an adult male, went under and lifeguards say he was not breathing when pulled out.”
The outlet also noted that the Panama City Beach coast experienced a coastal hazard warning that same day, with a potential for dangerous rip currents.
His death attracted the notice of NFL giants.
The Patriots’ iconic coach Bill Belichick, who coached Ryan when he first joined the Patriots in 2012, released a devastated statement via the team’s Twitter account on Tuesday. “I am extremely saddened by Ryan’s tragic passing,” he wrote. “My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the many people whose lives he touched.”
Bill Belichick on the passing of Ryan Mallett. pic.twitter.com/3Yz2U6F8Yd
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) June 27, 2023