The death of former college and NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett this week has sparked a lot of tributes. The 35-year-old Mallett, who was the head football coach at White Hall High School in Arkansas, drowned at a beach in Destin, Florida Tuesday. In a piece published Sunday, ESPN’s Mike Reiss collected some notable memories of Mallett, particularly from those who knew him during his time with the New England Patriots (he played for them in the 2011-13 seasons, and the 2014 preseason):
Quick-hit thoughts/notes around the Patriots and NFL (former teammates and coaches remember Ryan Mallett; follow-up on DeVante Parker/Ja’Whaun Bentley extensions; support for Jack Jones; Mac Jones’ completion percentage etc.)
https://t.co/UqQBsymsBD— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) July 2, 2023
Here are a few of those:
“He could throw a strawberry through a battleship. That’s how strong of an arm he had,” said Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, who served as Patriots offensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013 when Mallett was the primary backup to Brady.
“I remember a couple of times with the running backs, they’d be like 4 yards away, and he’d be looking downfield and then all of a sudden zip one to them and it would go right through their hands. It was one thing he was learning — to throw the changeup sometimes. Because his fastball was his pitch, no doubt about it.”
…“I think of two things with Ryan. First, he always had a big grin and was always very lively. He brought a lot of energy and was super interactive with all his teammates,” said Raiders quarterback Brian Hoyer, who was a backup to Tom Brady with Mallett in 2011, and later played on the same Houston Texans team with him in 2015. “Second, it was his arm strength. He has the strongest arm I’ve ever seen to this day.”
Hoyer also told Reiss about one particular indoor practice in 2011, where a Mallett pass hit a receiver’s helmet and bounced up almost to the top of the bubble. And arm strength was always a notable part of his game, from his college time at Michigan (2007) and Arkansas (2009-10) through his seven-year NFL career (in addition to that stint with the Patriots, he also spent time with the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans). Here are some of his Arkansas highlights, including a lot of amazing throws:
Mallett will certainly be missed by many across the football world. And these comments from McDaniels and Hoyer help illustrate just how remarkable his arm was.
[ESPN]
