Former Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons defensive end Allen Bailey died on Tuesday at the age of 37. Bailey’s brother, Alford Bailey Jr., told TMZ that Bailey’s wife discovered him dead at the family home in Florida. While the family believes the death resulted from natural causes, no official cause of death has been released.
Bailey spent the first eight seasons of his ten-year NFL career with the Chiefs after being selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Miami. He subsequently signed a two-year, $10.5 million contract with the Falcons in 2019. In March 2020, Atlanta extended his deal for one year and $4.5 million before releasing him in 2021 to save $4.5 million. Bailey did not play in the NFL again following that release.
Over his career, Bailey appeared in 133 games, including 70 starts, recording 248 tackles and 22 sacks. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke to reporters on Wednesday, describing Bailey as one of his favorite players. Reid expressed sadness over the loss, stating that Bailey was too young and a great person, and that he was sorry to see what happened to him.
The Chiefs released a statement expressing their sorrow, describing Bailey as an excellent teammate, generous man, and kind soul. The organization stated that their thoughts and prayers were with his family and friends.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also addressed the news on Wednesday, recalling a specific memory from early in his career. Mahomes described stepping into the locker room during organized team activities and seeing Bailey for the first time. "I stepped in the locker room to see Allen Bailey and I’m like this isn’t the Big 12 anymore," Mahomes said. "It was surreal to see him. I tell that story every single year." Mahomes described Bailey as a glue guy on the team who made everything go, noting that while he was not a superstar, he made plays.
Bailey stood 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighed 288 pounds.