Former Chiefs Defensive End Allen Bailey Dies at 37

The Kansas City Chiefs lost a piece of their foundation this week. Former defensive end Allen Bailey — the 6-foot-3, 288-pound force of nature teammates called "The Hulk" — died Tuesday at his home in Florida. He was 37.

Bailey's brother, Alford Bailey Jr., confirmed the news to TMZ. His wife found him Tuesday, and the family believes he died of natural causes, though no official cause of death had been released as of Wednesday afternoon.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid opened his Wednesday news conference with a tribute to a player he coached from 2013 through 2018. "Our hearts go out to his family," Reid said. "Prayers are with them. Way too young, obviously. One of my favorite players. Great kid. Just sorry to see that happened to him."

"The Hulk" in the middle of everything

Kansas City drafted Bailey in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft — 86th overall — out of the University of Miami, where he earned first-team All-ACC honors in 2009 and second-team honors in 2010. He spent his first eight seasons with the Chiefs (2011–18) before finishing his 10-year career with the Atlanta Falcons (2019–20).

He arrived as a backup and earned everything. After ascending to a starting role in 2014, Bailey broke out with five sacks in 12 starts, then signed a four-year, $25 million contract extension midway through that season. His best year came in 2018: a career-best six sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and four fumble recoveries — one of them returned for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the 54-51 classic that season.

Across 133 regular-season games, including 70 starts, Bailey accumulated 248 tackles, 22 sacks, 40 tackles for loss, 40 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries. He also appeared in six playoff games, starting five, with 10 tackles, two sacks, and two forced fumbles.

A "glue guy" the stars leaned on

Patrick Mahomes, teammates with Bailey for two seasons, said Wednesday that Bailey was the first person he saw when he walked into the locker room after being drafted in 2017. Seeing the burly, athletic defensive end, listed at 6-foot-3 and 288 pounds, made Mahomes realize he wasn't in college anymore — he called the moment "surreal."

"Obviously, it's terrible to hear the news," Mahomes said. "A great teammate — he's one of those glue guys on the team. He makes plays. He's not necessarily a superstar, but the guy that kind of makes everything go. We're praying for his family. (As) teammates, we've talked and we know that we're going to do whatever we can to support those guys."

What he meant to Kansas City

Bailey belonged to the era that built the modern franchise. Alongside Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, and later Chris Jones, he was a mainstay of a defensive front that created consistent havoc for opposing quarterbacks — the group that helped lay the groundwork for Kansas City to become an AFC power.

Off the field, he carried the same weight. Bailey founded the Allen Bailey Foundation, a nonprofit focused on enriching young athletes through academic and athletic development programs, in 2016.

Teammates remember

"Allen Bailey was an excellent teammate, generous man, and kind soul," the Chiefs posted in a statement Wednesday. "We're deeply saddened to hear of his passing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."

The Falcons, his last NFL stop, added: "Rest in peace, Allen Bailey. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

Former Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen wrote: "Lost a teammate, a friend, a brother. God needed another angel. Rest easy, my brother." Former receiver Dwayne Bowe, teammates with Bailey for four seasons, posted a photo and a tribute on Instagram: "one of the best teammates I've had a chance to be around." Bailey's former Miami teammates Travis Benjamin and Jimmy Graham were among the college teammates posting tributes as well.

What's next

The Chiefs travel to Lumen Field on Sunday night to face the Seattle Seahawks on NBC (7:20 p.m. CT), a matchup with a record on the line for Mahomes. Somewhere in that stadium, and in the stands at Arrowhead next time out, there will be plenty of people thinking about No. 97 — the Hulk, the glue guy, one of the men who built the standard Kansas City's defense is still chasing.

In memory of Allen Bailey (1989–2026). The men who made Arrowhead loud deserve their flowers. Browse the Sea of Red collection and the Loudest Fans collection.