Ryan Michael Mallett (June 5, 1988 – June 27, 2023) was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL).
2006
He was also the Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas in 2006.
2007
Mallett participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2007 and won the Glenn Davis Army Award as the best player on the West team.
He chose to play at Michigan over numerous Power 5 offers.
High school statistics
Mallett made his first appearance at Michigan in the second game of the 2007 season against Oregon.
He entered the game for the injured Chad Henne in the third quarter and completed 6 of 17 passes for 49 yards and one interception.
Mallett started the next week against Notre Dame and led the Wolverines to a 38–0 victory by throwing 3 touchdown passes, going 7 of 15 (46.7%) for 90 yards.
Mallett started his first Big Ten conference game against Penn State the following week.
He went 16 of 29 (55.2%) with 170 yards and one interception.
He also scored on a 10-yard rush in the first quarter.
Henne returned to start the Wolverines' next three games.
In those games, Mallett had limited playing time completing 4 of 10 for 30 yards.
Mallett's next start was against Minnesota.
He threw a touchdown pass and went 11 of 20 (55.0%) with 233 yards and no interceptions.
Mallett did not start, but played extensively the next week in a loss against Wisconsin.
He threw 3 touchdown passes and went 11 of 36 (30.6%) with 245 yards and two interceptions.
In the fourth quarter, Mallett threw a 97-yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham, the longest pass completion in Michigan history.
Mallett played very little in the next week's game against Ohio State.
He threw three passes and completed one of them for eight yards.
Overall, he finished the 2007 season with 892 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, and five interceptions.
After Michigan's hiring of head coach Rich Rodriguez, Mallett announced his intent to transfer as Rodriguez's read option offense typically utilizes a dual–threat quarterback rather than a pro–style quarterback like Mallett.
2008
On January 14, 2008, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas, where he was ineligible to play during the 2008 season due to NCAA transfer policies.
2009
In 2009 as a redshirt sophomore, Mallett began his career as an Arkansas Razorback.
Prior to the 2009 season, Mallett was named by ESPN's Bruce Feldman as one of college football's top 10 newcomers of the year, citing his arm strength as a major determining factor.
In subsequent interviews, when Mallett was questioned about how far he could throw the football, he said farther than 80 yards.
On March 1, 2009, Mallett was arrested on charges of public intoxication.
He pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge on April 3, 2009, and paid $155 in court costs, fines, and fees.
Mallett was also punished by head coach Bobby Petrino with early wake-up calls, extra running, and early curfews.
Mallett earned the starting job in the Razorbacks' first game against Missouri State, going 17-of-22 for 309 yards and a touchdown.
2011
He played as a backup for the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens from 2011 to 2017.
Mallett played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and Arkansas Razorbacks.
While with Arkansas, he was a two-time, second-team all-conference selection in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
He was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
After his playing career, Mallett served as the head football coach at White Hall High School in White Hall, Arkansas.
Mallett was born in Batesville, Arkansas.
His father, Jim, was a high school teacher and football coach and mother, Debbie, was a teacher.
He had an older sister, Lauren.
He became friends with Will Middlebrooks when they met in a football camp in the seventh grade.
Mallett graduated from Texas High School in Texarkana, and was ranked as the No. 2 quarterback and No. 4 overall player in the nation by Rivals.com.
