Allen Bailey, a former defensive end who previously played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, was discovered dead by his spouse at their residence in Florida on Tuesday, October 20, according to TMZ, which referenced statements made by his brother, Alford Bailey Jr.
Family members said they believed he died naturally. However, the official determination of the cause of death has not yet been released.
Who was Allen Bailey?
Bailey was born on March 25, 1989, in Sapelo Island, Georgia. He established his professional trajectory following his collegiate football experience with the Miami Hurricanes.
Bailey spent eight seasons with Kansas City following his selection by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft, where he was chosen 86th overall. He concluded his professional career after two seasons with Atlanta.
Also Read: Mike Ditka’s cause of death: What to know about his health history
Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 288 pounds, Bailey competed in college football at the University of Miami before joining the NFL. Throughout his professional career, he appeared in 133 regular-season games, recorded 248 combined tackles, and accumulated 22 sacks, as documented in his Wikipedia profile.
His most productive NFL season in terms of sacks occurred in 2018, when he accumulated six sacks while playing for Kansas City. Prior to his release by Atlanta in February 2021, he participated in 31 games with the Falcons.
Bailey received first-team All-ACC accolades in 2009 and earned second-team honors in 2010. During his tenure at Miami, he demonstrated versatility by playing both defensive tackle and defensive end positions. The institution also honored him with the Strength Training Athlete of the Year award.
Tributes pour in
Colin McCarthy, a former Miami teammate, was among those who publicly expressed their grief over Bailey’s passing, posting a heartfelt tribute on social media.
“Lost a fellow brother today… prayers to AB family! Love you Big Cuzzo,” McCarthy wrote on X.