Former Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallett passed away on Tuesday in a drowning accident, according to multiple reports. He was 35 years old.
Deltaplex News first reported that Mallett was transported from a Florida beach to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The superintendent at White Hall High School, where Mallett served as head football coach, confirmed to Alyssa Orange of KNWA FOX24 that Mallett drowned on Tuesday.
Mallett was selected by the Patriots in the third round (74th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Arkansas. The former Razorback was the highest quarterback taken by New England in the draft since taking Drew Bledsoe first overall in the 1993 Draft.