Photo courtesy of Whole Hog Sports)
The drowning of a former Mountain Home High School assistant football coach and Arkansas Razorback quarterback was not caused by riptides, according to officials in Florida. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office stated on social media no foul play is suspected in the death of 35-year-old Ryan Mallett.
In a video on Facebook, Sheriff Eric Aden said, “We have no indication of any dangerous conditions out there. The entire Okaloosa County, as well as Destin, were not under red flags or double red flags, despite some of the misperceptions out there. We were under a yellow flag, which is just ‘swim with caution.'” The investigation into Mallett’s death is continuing.
The sheriff’s office says first responders were called to a beach on the Gulf of Mexico in Destin just after 2 Tuesday afternoon. A group of individuals in the water near the second sandbar had reportedly been struggling to make their way back to shore. One individual, later identified as Mallett, went under, and lifeguards say he was not breathing when pulled out. Lifesaving measures were immediately undertaken, but Mallett was pronounced deceased at the Destin Emergency Room.
Mallett was hired by White Hall in February of last year after spending two years at Mountain Home and serving as the Bombers’ offensive coordinator in 2021. He helped Mountain Home to a record of 11-14 and two trips to the playoffs.
Mallett is also a former University of Arkansas quarterback who played for the New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens in the NFL.
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