Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett dies in apparent drowning at Florida beach, sources say

Ryan Mallett (Getty Images)

Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett died Tuesday after reportedly drowning at a beach in Florida, according to TMZ.

Deltaplex News in Arkansas reported on Tuesday that Mallett was transported from Destin beach to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

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Destin is a city in northwest Florida, in the Panhandle area.

Officials with the White Hall School District where Mallett worked confirmed his death to local reporters. Mallett was working as the head football coach at White Hall High School.

He was drafted as the 74th-overall pick to the New England Patriots in 2011, serving as a backup to Tom Brady for three seasons.

Mallett, 35, played in the NFL from 2011 to 2017 after a college career with Michigan and Arkansas.

New England coach Bill Belichick said he was “extremely saddened by Ryan’s tragic passing.”

“My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the many people whose lives he touched,” Belichick said in a statement posted by the team on Twitter.

Detectives are investigating the cause of the incident.


About the Author
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Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG. He was born in Long Island, New York, and has lived in Sunrise, Florida since 1994.

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