Ryan Mallett, a standout quarterback at Arkansas who spent time in the NFL with the Patriots, Texans and Ravens, died Tuesday in Florida, according to Deltaplex News out of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
Mallett, who was 35 years old, was taken from a beach to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The quarterback played his freshman year at Michigan before transferring to Arkansas, where he was a breakout star. Mallett threw for 7,493 yards and 62 touchdowns to 19 interceptions in his two seasons with the Razorbacks, and was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Patriots in 2011. He went on to start six games with the Texans and Ravens in 2015.
Mallett was coaching football in White Hall, Arkansas for White Hall High School, which finished 4-6 last season.
How did Ryan Mallett die?
Mallett died in Florida by drowning while swimming at a beach.
He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead on Tuesday.
Mallett was on NFL teams from 2011 to 2017. He was drafted in the third round of the 2011 draft by the New England Patriots after a standout college career, in which he led Arkansas to a Liberty Bowl win over East Carolina in 2009 and a Sugar Bowl berth against Ohio State in 2010.
Mallett was traded to the Texans ahead of the 2014 season, where he got a chance to start in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Mallett started two games in 2014 and four in 2015 for the Texans, before he was picked up by the Ravens in 2015 after being released. He started another two games in 2015, and spent the rest of his career with the Ravens.
After his NFL career, Mallett became an assistant coach at Mountain Home High School in Arkansas, and eventually a head coach in White Hall, Arkansas. He was hired in February, 2022.
This story will be updated as additional details become available.
