The Kansas City Chiefs community is mourning the loss of former defensive lineman Allen Bailey, who was found dead at his Florida home at the age of 37.
According to a report from TMZ, confirmed by Bailey’s brother Alford Bailey Jr., Bailey’s wife found him deceased on Tuesday inside their Florida home. The family believes he died of natural causes, though no official cause of death has been released.
A Chiefs Mainstay
Bailey was born March 25, 1989, on Sapelo Island, Georgia — a small island with no youth football leagues, where he learned the game in pickup games with his siblings and cousins before attending McIntosh County Academy. He went on to star at the University of Miami, where he was a four-time letterwinner and a two-time All-ACC selection.
The Chiefs selected Bailey in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and he spent eight seasons in Kansas City through 2018, becoming a fixture of the defensive line. He finished his career with two seasons for the Atlanta Falcons, appearing in 133 regular-season games with 22 sacks and 248 combined tackles. Nicknamed “Hulk” by teammates, the 6-foot-3, 288-pound lineman was an intimidating sight on the field — and beloved in the locker room.
Tributes Pour In
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid shared his condolences at a news conference on Wednesday, calling Bailey one of his favorite players.
“Sad news, passing of Allen Bailey. Our hearts go out to his family, prayers with them. Way too young, obviously, one of my favorite players, great, great kid,” Reid reportedly said.
Former teammates also took to social media to grieve. Jeff Allen wrote, “Lost a teammate, a friend, a brother. God needed another angel. Rest easy, my brother.” Former Chiefs tackle Mitchell Schwartz called him “such a good person and teammate,” while Bailey’s Miami Hurricanes teammate Colin McCarthy posted, “Lost a fellow brother today… prayers to AB family.”
Bailey is survived by his wife and children. Our thoughts are with the Bailey family during this difficult time.
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Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
