Tom Brady has had one of the most successful careers in the history of the NFL. However, he certainly needed backup quarterbacks to support him throughout his 23 seasons, and Ryan Mallett was one of them.

Mallett was selected as the 74th-overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He spent three years as Brady’s backup, learning everything he could from the legendary quarterback in order to improve his performance on the field.

Ryan Mallett dies at 35: What happened to Brady’s former quarterback at the New England Patriots?

Reports coming from Florida have brought terrible news to the NFL. At the age of 35, Ryan Mallett passed away this Tuesday. Deltaplex News was the first to report that the former New England Patriots quarterback died in a drowning accident in Destin.

Mallett, who was projected as a first-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, surprisingly fell to the third round. The Patriots selected him to be Tom Brady’s backup quarterback, but he only spent three seasons behind him.

The former Arkansas Razorback played for three different NFL teams: Patriots, Texans, and Ravens. He ended his career playing for Baltimore in 2017, and then became White Hall’s head coach in 2022.