Malik Gant dead: Former Patriots' DB passes away aged 26, cause of death yet to be revealed

Former New England Patriots defensive ace Malik Gant has passed away at 26. The cause of his death remains unknown.

The ThunderCast Pod Twitter account first shared the news. It is an account dedicated to Marshall University Athletics, Gant’s alma mater. They also shared a statement from Gant’s family that reads:

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our beloved family member, Malik Gant. Malik was found deceased on May 25, 2023, in Miami, Florida. We are devastated by this unimaginable loss and are grieving deeply.

“Malik was a remarkable individual who touched the lives of many with his kindness, charisma, and unwavering spirit. He will be remembered as a loving son, a cherished brother, a devoted grandson, a valued teammate, and a dear friend to countless individuals.

“His memory will forever live in our hearts.”

Gant joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2019. However, he was placed on injury reserve a month before the regular season started.

New England activated Gant during the 2020 offseason but waived him by July. He tried out for the team in August and October 2020 but did not make the active roster.

The Patriots signed Malik Gant on August 10, 2021. However, the team waived him after two weeks. He never appeared in a regular-season or playoff game.

---

Malik Gant made his mark at Marshall

The ThunderCast podcast tweeted:

“This is absolutely devastating news. Malik, as a Herd player, will forever be one of my favorites. So versatile. So fearless. As a person, I was never fortunate enough to meet him, but his smile was ever present. Rest easy #29. You are missed.”

Gant played safety and cornerback for the Thundering Herd. He redshirted his freshman season and got his first taste of college football in 2016. Gant played 12 games as a redshirt freshman, making six tackles.

In 2017, he earned a scholarship as a walk-on, prompting then-head coach Doc Holliday to declare him as the team’s “spring MVP.”

That year, he had a breakout season, finishing with 100 tackles (6.5 for losses), five pass deflections, and three quarterback hurries. Those numbers earned him Second Team All-Conference USA honors. Gant started 10 of 12 games played and had five games with at least 10 tackles.

He capped off his brilliant 2017 season by returning from injury and getting four tackles in their New Mexico Bowl victory over Colorado State.

Malik Gant played high school football at Woodson in Washington, D.C. This was notably the same school that produced fellow Thundering Herd alumnus and former NFL quarterback Byron Leftwich.