On the heels of the news that former NFL quaterback Ryan Mallett passing away in a drowning incident in Florida, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has released bodycam footage of deputies responding to the incident. The footage shows the water conditions at the time as well as crews attempting to save Mallett.
“The tragic loss of life, it’s always difficult when we lose a tourist or resident here, but we have no indication here of any dangerous conditions out there,” Sheriff Eric Aden said in a statement on Wednesday. “The entire Okaloosa County, as well as Destin, we’re 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,” he continued. “It just seems to be a tragic accident and not something to do with the conditions of the surf or tides or currents.”
Per the New York Post, "Mallett, an Arkansas native, began to struggle as he tried to swim to a second sandbar about 150 feet from the beach near Gulf Shores Drive around 2:15 p.m., sheriff officials said in a Wednesday press release."
Lifeguards went in to get Mallett but he was not breathing when they pulled him out of the water.
Mallett, played at the University of Michigan for one year before transferring to the University of Arkansas where he was standout in the SEC. Mallett turned an impressive run with the Razorbacks into a five-year NFL career where he played for the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens.
He was 35 years old.
