Former Chiefs defensive end Allen Bailey found dead at 37 in Florida home

The former Miami standout played 10 NFL seasons with Kansas City and Atlanta. His family reportedly believes he died of natural causes.

Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Allen Bailey has died at 37. Bailey, who later played for the Atlanta Falcons, was found dead at his Florida home Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Bailey’s brother, Alford Bailey Jr., told TMZ that the former defensive lineman’s wife found him at their home. The family believes he died of natural causes, according to the report.

Allen Bailey spent most of his NFL career in Kansas City. The Chiefs drafted him out of the University of Miami with the 86th overall pick in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played eight seasons with the team and became a regular starter on its defensive line.

His most productive season as a pass rusher came in 2018, when he recorded a career-high six sacks. He appeared in all 16 regular-season games that year, starting 13. Bailey joined Atlanta in 2019 and played 31 games over two seasons before the Falcons released him in 2021.

Across 10 NFL seasons, Bailey appeared in 133 regular-season games and made 70 starts. He finished with 248 combined tackles, 22 sacks, four forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries, according to Pro Football Reference.

Bailey grew up on Sapelo Island off the Georgia coast and attended McIntosh County Academy before playing at Miami. He was a two-time All-ACC selection, recording 31 tackles for loss in 50 college games, according to the university.

In a 2018 feature published by the Chiefs, Bailey recalled being on Sapelo Island with his family on draft day. He was walking along the road when Kansas City called, partly because cell service was difficult to get. He said he nearly ignored the call because the number was listed as unavailable.

The Chiefs signed Bailey to a contract extension in 2014. General manager John Dorsey described him as a key member of their defense. After news of Bailey’s death emerged, former Miami teammate Colin McCarthy paid tribute on X, saying he had “lost a fellow brother” and offering prayers to his family. An official cause of death has not been made public.