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The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Department identified Mallett as the victim who drowned in the Gulf of Mexico.
First responders were called to the beach behind 775 Gulf Shore Drive in Destin, FL, at 2:12 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 played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and Arkansas Razorbacks, before he was drafted to the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
He was traded to the Houston Texans in 2014 and signed with the Baltimore Ravens the following year.
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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