Former NFL journeyman, Houston Texans, and Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Ryan Mallett apparently drowned on Tuesday in an incident in Destin, Florida.
According to announcements posted on the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) social media account, Mallett was one of six people reportedly struggling to reach shore while swimming near a sandbar in the Gulf of Mexico. When lifeguards reached Mallett, he had gone underwater and was not breathing. Emergency responders were summoned to the scene around 2:12 p.m. ET.
Lifesaving measures were unsuccessful, and the 35-year-old Arkansas native was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
“We send our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends, and loved ones in his tragic passing,” one of the office’s announcements read.
Former NFL teammates and peers soon took to social media to react to the news and express disbelief.
“We lost a great man,” legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who was teammates with Mallett in New England, wrote on his Instagram story. “Thank you for everything, Ryan. Praying for the Mallett family and all their loved ones tonight.”
“Horrible news to read about Ryan Mallett,” former Texans defensive end JJ Watt tweeted. “Gone way too soon. Rest in Peace, brother.”
Mallett spent five seasons in the NFL after being selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, throwing for a combined 1,835 yards and nine touchdowns in 21 games with New England, Houston, and Baltimore.
He spent a year at the University of Michigan before transferring to Arkansas, where he led the SEC in passing yards and touchdown passes for two consecutive seasons and finished with the 15th-best passing-efficiency rating in the conference since 1956.
“We are shocked and saddened by the passing of Ryan Mallett,” the Razorbacks wrote on 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.”
Mallett was entering his second year as the head football coach at White Hall High School in Arkansas.
“It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Coach Ryan Mallett,” the school district said in an official statement. “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.”
“Please keep our players, coaches, community, and Coach Mallett’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this time,” White Hall Bulldog football posted Wednesday on its social media account. “The White Hall Bulldogs will honor coach Mallett & his legacy by continuing what he started. On July 10th, with heavy hearts, we will lock arms and go to work.”
On its social media page Wednesday, OCSO debunked earlier claims that a rip current was to blame for Mallett’s death, clarifying that the “flag condition” — a colored system ranging from green to double red used to warn beachgoers about water conditions — was yellow.
According to the City of Destin website, a yellow flag indicates a “medium hazard” with “moderate surf and/or currents.” Swimmers are asked to exercise caution under these conditions but are not prohibited from entering the water.
The confusion might have stemmed because deaths from rip currents in the Gulf of Mexico and along its Florida Coast have spiked recently and continue to climb. Three tourists died in rip currents over the weekend in Panama City Beach — 90 minutes east of Destin — bringing the total to seven in June alone for the resort town.
The flag condition at Panama City Beach has been at least single red each day since June 12 with a high potential of rip currents. The Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) implored beachgoers daily to educate themselves about and be mindful of the danger.
“I’m beyond frustrated at the situation that we have with tragic and unnecessary deaths in the gulf,” the BCSO posted Monday on its social media page. “I have watched while deputies, firefighters, and lifeguards have risked their lives to save strangers. I have seen strangers die trying to save their children and loved ones, including two fathers on Father’s Day.
“…Government and law enforcement can only do so much in these situations. Personal responsibility is the only way to ensure that no one else dies. Please make the effort to know the flag status and stay completely out of the water.”
There were 69 deaths from rip currents across the U.S. last year and already 60 in 2023.
