Allen Bailey cause of death: How did former Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons defensive end die aged 37?

Allen Bailey, a former NFL player who spent much of his 10-year career with Kansas City Chiefs, has died at the age of 37. He was reportedly found dead by his wife in their Florida home on Tuesday (October 20). His family told TMZ that they believed Bailey had died of natural causes, though an official cause of death has not been released as yet. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and several players have paid tributes to the former defensive end (DE).

'A great kid'

Coach Reid said at a news conference a day after Bailey was found dead: "Our hearts go out to his family, and our prayers are with them. Way too young, obviously. He was one of my favorite players, a great kid. I'm just sorry to see that happened to him."


He added: "He's got a family and that's a sad deal. I know his father passed away young, too. It makes you sick when it happens to somebody that young."

Bailey's NFL career

Allen Bailey was selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft out of the University of Miami. He played his first eight NFL seasons with the Chiefs. He recorded the best season of his career in 2018, registering six sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and four fumble recoveries, according to ESPN.

Bailey played the final two season of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. In a total of 133 games through his career, Bailey logged 22 sacks, seven fumble recoveries, and 248 combined tackles. Bailey left the league after the 2020 campaign.

Teammates pay heartfelt tributes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was Bailey's teammate for two seasons, said: "Obviously, it's terrible to hear the news. 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."

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