Chiefs mourn Bailey after former NFL player found dead at age 37 — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Allen Bailey was found dead Tuesday by his wife at his Florida home at age 37; his family told TMZ they believe the death was from natural causes, though an official cause had not been released as of Wednesday afternoon.
- Bailey played his first eight NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs after being drafted in 2011, then finished his career with two seasons in Atlanta, totaling 133 games, 22 sacks, seven fumble recoveries and 40 tackles for loss.
- Bailey's 2018 season was his best statistically, with career-highs of six sacks, 10 quarterback hits and four fumble recoveries — one returned for a touchdown.
- Chiefs coach Andy Reid called Bailey "one of my favorite players," noting his death at 37 was "way too young" and that Bailey's father "passed away young, too."
- Patrick Mahomes said Bailey was the first person he saw in the Chiefs locker room after the 2017 draft, recalling the surreal moment and calling Bailey "one of those glue guys" who "makes everything go."
- Within hours of the death, active pass rusher Chris Jones and former Chiefs including Dwayne Bowe, Mitch Morse and Mitchell Schwartz publicly expressed respect for Bailey's "fun, energetic personality."
Why it matters: The reaction spans the full arc of the Chiefs' recent defensive identity — Reid, active stars like Chris Jones and recently retired offensive linemen — underscoring how Bailey's ten-year career bridged the pre-Mahomes rebuild and the Super Bowl era. Reid's revelation that Bailey's father also died young reframes the loss from a football story to a family one at a level that outlasts either franchise.
Ask SkimNews
