Ryan Mallett’s Agent Denies His Client Missed Meetings With Panthers Due to Hangover, Says He Was Ill

Ryan Mallett has been surrounded by scrutiny throughout the months leading up to the NFL draft. While teams have noticed the quarterback's arm, they've also noticed his reputation for partying, thanks in part to being arrested for public intoxication in March 2009.

When Mallett cancelled most of his meetings with the Carolina Panthers on April 9, rumors started cropping up that he was hungover from late-night partying. 

Mallett's agent, J.R. Carroll, denied that his client was hungover to ESPN.com. Carroll told ESPN that Mallett had dinner with Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones, the two walked around downtown Charlotte and then Mallett headed back to his hotel room around 10 p.m. when he didn't feel well.

"I'm pretty sure Ryan was really, really sick," Carroll said to ESPN. "He told me he was sick the night before. And I know Ryan wasn't out late [that] night. I know that for sure. He's not an idiot.

"I'll tell you this — Ryan was in his hotel room by about 10 o'clock," Carroll said.

Carroll said Mallett met with the Panthers offensive coordinator, Rob Chudzinski, the morning after, but then felt too sick to go on with any other meetings set up for the day.

A Panthers official supported Carroll's statement, saying said Mallett had dinner with Carolina's coaches the evening he arrived and informed a staff member the next morning at a scheduled breakfast that he had been sick all night with nausea.

"We told Ryan that, if he was ill, to remain in his room as long as the nausea existed," the official said. "We took him to the airport later that afternoon for his scheduled flight."

While one rumor may be put to rest, another may be buzzing. It has been reported that Mallett admitted to drug use in one of his pre-draft interviews, according to Larry Brown.

Whether the rumors are true or not, Mallett will have a lot to prove to his future club to put these accusations to rest.