Former Arkansas Razorbacks star and longtime backup quarterback in the NFL Ryan Mallett passed away at the age of 35. Mallett was allegedly caught in a riptide off the coast of Florida and killed, according to authorities.
In Texarkana, Texas, at Texas High School, Mallett started playing football. During his high school career, he threw for more over 7000 yards, and during the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, he was given the Glenn Davis Army Award. He chose to sign with the Michigan Wolverines, competing with Chad Henne for the starting position. However, after Michigan hired Rich Rodriguez, he moved to Arkansas.
Mallett, who was born in Batesville, 142 miles from Fayetteville, rose to fame in Arkansas rather rapidly. During his two seasons as a Razorback, he passed for close to 4,000 yards in each one. In addition, he is second all-time at the school in both passing yards and touchdowns. He played in the NFL until 2017, having been selected in the third round of the 2011 draft.
Tom Brady leads the Mallett tributes
Both the college and professional football worlds were shook by the stunning news. Mallett received numerous tributes; most recently, he was a high school football coach in Arkansas. NFL legend Tom Brady was one of those honored. Mallett, who the Patriots first selected in the 2011 draft, supported Brady until 2013.
Brady posted a photo of him and Mallett on his Instagram story. “A magnificent man was gone. Ryan, I appreciate everything,” Brady wrote. I’m praying tonight for the Mallet family and all of their loved ones.
The death hit Razorback Nation particularly hard. At Donald W. Reynolds Stadium, Mallett was a well-liked character. In addition to leading the Razorbacks to back-to-back bowl games, Mallett was a well-liked and active member of the university community. “[Mallett] was merely a myth. Additionally, he was a fantastic friend and person, according to former Arkansas running back Broderick Green.
Arkansas Adds Two Football Stars To Hall Of Honor
The UA Sports Hall of Honor Class of 2023 is officially set! The nine member class will be formally inducted in a ceremony to be held on Friday, September 8, 2023, at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville.https://t.co/u7hU3qKhkZ
— Arkansas Razorbacks 🐗 (@ArkRazorbacks) June 27, 2023
Furthermore, the 2023 Hall of Honor class for Arkansas had just been announced when word of Mallett’s passing broke. Of the nine people mentioned, two had some connection to the football program.
Between 2005 and 2007, Felix Jones was a running back for the Razorbacks. In his career, he rushed for nearly 3000 yards and scored 20 times. In 2007, he received the unanimous All-American nod. He was drafted in the first round in 2008 and played in the NFL until 2013, spending the most of his time with the Cowboys. Houston Nutt, a former head coach, also has into the hall. Prior to serving in three separate capacities as a coach, Nutt was a quarterback for the Razorbacks in the 1970s. The most notable of these was serving as head coach from 1998 until 2007.
On September 8, there will be a ceremony for the Razorbacks Hall of Honor. The Razorbacks’ football team hosts Kent State on September 9 for their home debut. To respect Mallett’s passing, the Razorbacks have not yet made any announcements as of the time of writing.