Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett debuted a new romance weeks before his death at age 35.
The late athlete changed his Facebook relationship status on June 1 to “In a Relationship with Madison Carter.” Friends took to the comments section to congratulate Mallett on the life update.
“Wonderful! Congratulations to both of you!! She’s a lovely lady and you … well, she’s a lovely lady! (Just kidding you, my friend!!),” one Facebook user wrote.
Later that month, the Baltimore Ravens alum shared a selfie of the couple via Facebook. “Appreciation post for my DR/driver/nurse Madison Carter,” he captioned the June 18 post.
According to Carter’s Facebook profile, she is currently studying at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State.
The White Hall School District in Arkansas, where Mallett worked as head coach of varsity football, announced the football player’s death via their official Facebook page on Tuesday, June 27.
“It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Coach Ryan Mallett. Coach Mallett was a beloved coach and educator,” the post read. “We ask that you remember his family, team, students, fellow coaches, and the White Hall School District staff in your prayers.”
Mallett’s official cause of death has yet to be revealed. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office first announced on Tuesday that a tourist had died in an apparent drowning offshore of Gulf Shore Drive in Destin, Florida.
“A group of people in the water near the second sandbar had reportedly been struggling to make their way back to shore. One of the individuals, an adult male, went under and lifeguards say he was not breathing when pulled out,” read a statement on their official Facebook page at the time. “Lifesaving measures were immediately undertaken but the man was pronounced deceased at the Destin Emergency Room.”
The page shared an update on Wednesday, confirming that the adult male was Mallett. “We send our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends, and loved ones in his tragic passing,” the message read.
Mallett, who played for both the Michigan Wolverines and the Arkansas Razorbacks during his collegiate career, was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. He served as Tom Brady’s backup for four years before being traded to the Houston Texans for the 2014 season. He went on to play for the Ravens from 2015 to 2017.
Following the news of his death, the Patriots shared a tribute to their former teammate via Twitter.
“The New England Patriots are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden and unexpected passing of former quarterback Ryan Mallett,” the team tweeted on Tuesday alongside a photo of Mallett. “Our thoughts are with the Mallett family, his former teammates and all who are mourning his loss.”
Brady, 45 — who played for the Patriots from 2000 to 2019 before moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — shared his own message to his fellow quarterback.
“We lost a great man. Thank you for everything Ryan,” the retired athlete captioned a Tuesday Instagram Story snap of him and Mallett walking side by side in their Patriots uniforms. “Praying for the Mallett family and all their loved ones tonight.”
