Ryan Mallett’s Girlfriend Opens Up About Tragic Drowning in Touching Statement

Madison Carter was with Mallett during the fatal incident in the waters off Destin, Fla.

For the first time since the death of former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett on Tuesday, his girlfriend, Madison Carter, made a public statement about his tragic drowning in a lengthy Facebook post Sunday night. 

Carter was with Mallett when he drowned in the Gulf of Mexico off the shore of Destin, Fla.

“I trust that God has a plan for everything, but I don’t think I will ever understand why this happened. I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you, and I hope you know how hard I tried,” Carter wrote. “Everyone knows how talented, dedicated, and passionate you were about the game of football. Those of us who were lucky enough to know your heart know that it was even bigger than your larger-than-life personality and stature.

“Nothing was ever about you, it was always about others,” she continued. “Multiple times, I heard you say ‘there are so many good people in this world,’ and that statement alone shows what kind of person you were. Always looking for the good.”

Mallett was the head football coach at White Hall High School in Arkansas at the time of his death, and the White Hall School District released a statement when the news of his death became public, saying he was “a beloved coach and educator.” Before his coaching days, Mallett was a signal-caller for Michigan and Arkansas in college and was drafted by Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. 

He would go on to play for the Texans and Ravens before a brief stint for the Generals of The Spring League.