FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — After his death last month, friends and family gathered on July 6 to celebrate the life and memory of Ryan Michael Mallett.
Mallett tragically died after drowning while vacationing in Florida on June 27, 2023. Mallet has impacted many lives after his seasons as a star quarterback for the Razorbacks and then a head coach for the White Hall Bulldogs at the time of his passing.
For those attending the services, most knew Ryan Mallett for his years as a Hog and later as an NFL quarterback, but those close to him saw Mallett follow in his father's footsteps and become a coach.
Still doing what he loved, Mallett became a coach at Mountain Home High School and then at White Hall. He was looking to mold the next generation of football talent.
According to Mallett's obituary, his ultimate goal was to be a head football coach. He fulfilled that this past year at White Hall— But he was much more than that.
Pastor Paul Young says if you look at Mallett’s life, he accomplished almost all of his goals before he turned 35.
“He had the ability to influence and mentor young people. He fathered them. They looked up to him as a father figure. One of his dreams was fulfilled when one of his players became a D1 player in college,” said Pastor Paul Young.
His high school coach from Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas, Scott Surratt describes Mallett as his son.
“Fierce competitor, big tex shooter, Arkansas, Texas legend. A big tender heart. He had a heart as big as Texas but full of Arkansas,” said Scott Surratt.
Mallett’s good friend JR Carroll says Mallett could light up a room.
“What made Ryan so unique is he could take a complete stranger and make that stranger feel like that at that moment in time, that’s where Ryan wanted to be if he could be anywhere in the world,” said JR Carroll.
Carroll says Mallet would stay late after NFL practices to sign autographs for kids. He recalls asking Mallett why he did it, and he told Carroll that as a kid at Lincoln, all he wanted was an autograph from a Razorback who wore a helmet, he didn’t care what position he played.
“When I got to New England I saw that same look in those kid's eyes and only preseason practices are open to the public. That kid might only be there for that practice, and he wouldn’t get an autograph from the World Champion Patriots,” said Carroll.
His obituary says, “He was so excited to be able to teach young men how to improve their skills in the game he loved. His players were his children, and he loved them big.”
In an interview with 5NEWS Sports Director Jacob Seus, former Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick talked highly of his former teammate's role as a coach. “I genuinely believe that is what made him happy. Being around those kids, pouring into those kids, and he was doing a great job," Dick said.
"It was about the love for the kids and having a heart for what you do. And you know he was passionate about what he did and lived in his purpose," said former Arkansas running back Broderick Green.
One of the bulldogs that played for Mallett made a statement that was included in the service's pamphlet. The player says he has reached his dreams of possibly playing Division 1 football thanks to him. He says quote "We grew a relationship that was much more than football. He wasn’t just my coach, but he was a great friend as well."
The service for Mallet took place at 2 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church.
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