Officials Release Bodycam Footage After Former NFL Player Ryan Mallett's Tragic Death at Florida Beach, Finding No Evidence of Rip Current

Partial body camera footage released of former NFL player's drowning.

Authorities have released partial body camera video footage of the scene where former NFL player Ryan Mallett died in an apparent drowning at a Gulf Coast beach in Florida. The release of the footage comes in response to public speculation about the conditions in the water that may have led to the fatal incident. The sheriff has stated that rip currents, which have been linked to multiple deaths at nearby Panama City Beach, did not play a role in Mallett's drowning.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office reported that deputies arrived at the beach near Gulf Shore Drive in Destin on Tuesday afternoon, responding to reports of a group of people struggling to return to shore near the second sandbar. Mallett, who was part of the group, went under the water and was not breathing when lifeguards pulled him out. Despite efforts to save him, Mallett was pronounced dead at the Destin Emergency Room.

The sheriff's office addressed media inquiries in a Facebook post, stating that investigators are still gathering information about the drowning. The post also clarified that Mallett began struggling while attempting to swim to a second sandbar about 150 feet offshore and that there were no indications of rip currents at the time, despite media misinformation.

Ryan Mallett, 35, was a former Arkansas quarterback who played in the NFL for teams including Baltimore, Houston, and New England. He was coaching football at White Hall High School in Arkansas before his tragic death.

Sheriff Eric Aden expressed his condolences and stated that there were no dangerous conditions present at the beach. The Destin Fire Control District also released a statement confirming the absence of rip currents in the area and mentioning that yellow warning flags, indicating moderate surf and/or currents, were placed on the beach at the time of Mallett's drowning.

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