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The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Department identified Mallett as the victim who drowned in the Gulf of Mexico.
First responders in northwest Florida were called to the beach in the city of Destin, behind 775 Gulf Shore Drive at around 2:10 p.m., the sheriff's office said.
"A group of people in the water near the second sandbar had reportedly been struggling to make their way back to shore," the statement reads.
"One of the individuals, an adult male, went under and lifeguards say he was not breathing when pulled out.
Lifesaving measures were unsuccessful and Mallett was pronounced dead at the hospital, authorities said.
An Arkansas native, Mallett played college football for both the University of Michigan Wolverines and University of Arkansas, before he was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft, backing Tom Brady at the time. He later played for the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens.
Arkansas' White Hall School District, where Mallett previously worked as a coach, confirmed his death in a Facebook post on Tuesday, June 27.
"It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Coach Ryan Mallett," the post reads. "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 prayers."
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