Ryan Mallett was just 35 years old when the former Arkansas quarterback — who played for the New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens in a six-year NFL career — died on Tuesday.
Per a statement provided by the Okaloosa County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office to USA TODAY Sports, they were investigating an apparent drowning in the Gulf of Mexico that day, with Mallett pulled out of the water by lifeguards. White Hall School District, where he coached high school football, confirmed that Mallett had died.
The NFL world — including Mallett’s former teammate on the Patriots, Tom Brady — mourned on Twitter after the awful news broke on Tuesday evening: