Allen Bailey, a former NFL defensive end who spent most of his 10-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs, has died at age 37. Chiefs coach Andy Reid shared his appreciation for Bailey on Wednesday, one day after he was found dead in his Florida home.
"Our hearts go out to his family, and our prayers are with them," Reid said. "Way too young, obviously. He was one of my favorite players, a great kid. I'm just sorry to see that happened to him."
Bailey, who began his NFL career with the Chiefs in 2011, was found dead Tuesday by his wife. His family told TMZ that they believe he died from natural causes, although an official cause of death had not been released as of Wednesday afternoon. Bailey played his first eight seasons with the Chiefs, producing the best season of his career in 2018, when he recorded a career-high six sacks, 10 quarterback hits and four fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was Bailey's teammate for two seasons, recalled meeting him after the 2017 draft. "I see Allen Bailey and I'm like, 'This isn't the Big 12 anymore.' It was surreal to see him," Mahomes said. He described Bailey as one of those glue guys who make everything go, and said teammates would support his family. Former teammates including Chris Jones, Dwayne Bowe, Mitch Morse and Mitchell Schwartz also expressed respect and gratitude for his energetic personality.
Bailey finished his career in Atlanta, playing his final two seasons with the Falcons. In 133 games, he recorded 22 sacks, seven fumble recoveries and 40 tackles for loss. "It's terrible, especially with all the good he [did]," Reid said. "He's got a family and that's a sad deal. I know his father passed away young, too. It makes you sick when it happens to somebody that young."
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing