Allen Bailey, the former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman who later played for the Atlanta Falcons, died Tuesday at 37. His wife found him at their Florida home. His family believes he died of natural causes, but no official cause had been confirmed as of Wednesday.
Bailey spent eight seasons with Kansas City after the Chiefs selected him in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. He finished a 10-year professional career with 70 starts, 22 sacks, 40 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles, then played his final two seasons with Atlanta.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who coached Bailey from 2013 through 2018, said the death was especially painful because Bailey was so young and had a family. Reid described him as one of his favorite players and remembered him as a tough, dependable defender who gave consistent effort on every play.
Patrick Mahomes was Bailey’s teammate for two seasons after joining Kansas City in 2017. Mahomes recalled seeing Bailey when he first entered the locker room and said the veteran helped make the team function, even without being viewed as a superstar. Mahomes said former teammates had discussed supporting Bailey’s family.
Bailey grew up in Hog Hammock on Sapelo Island, a small Georgia barrier island accessible by boat. He played college football at Miami, where he became a first-team all-conference player, before beginning his NFL career in Kansas City. His path from the island to a decade in professional football was a defining part of his story.