Former Michigan Wolverine quarterback Ryan Mallett has died after drowning in Florida, according to officials. He was 35 years old.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office says it was investigating an apparent drowning at about 2:12 p.m. Tuesday in Destin, Florida. The sheriff’s office says a group of people near the second sandbar in the Gulf of Mexico struggled to make it back to shore. One man, later identified as Mallett, went under and was not breathing when pulled from the water.
“Lifesaving measures were immediately undertaken, but the man was pronounced deceased at the Destin Emergency Room,” the sheriff’s office said.
Mallett played for Michigan in 2007 before transferring to Arkansas. He was selected by the New England Patriots in 2011, with his career taking him to the Houston Texans before finishing with the Baltimore Ravens from 2015 to 2017.
“I am extremely saddened by Ryan’s tragic passing. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the many people whose lives he touched,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said in a tweet.
The White Hall School District in Arkansas, where Mallett coached, issued a statement on Tuesday, saying, “It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Coach Ryan Mallett. 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 prayer
In a statement, U of M football says “Michigan Football extends its deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and former teammates of QB Ryan Mallett. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mallett family.”
