Allen Bailey’s brother confirms former Chiefs DE’s death at age 37

Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Allen Bailey died Tuesday at 37, his brother confirmed Wednesday.

Alford Bailey Jr. told TMZ that Bailey’s wife found him dead inside their Florida home and that the family believes he died of natural causes. No other details about his death have been released.

Word had already spread among the people who knew him by Tuesday night, when former Miami teammate Colin McCarthy posted a tribute on X.

Lost a fellow brother today… prayers to AB family! Love you Big Cuzzo! https://t.co/Pez2kUV8A8

— Colin McCarthy (@COLINMcCARTHY52) October 21, 2026

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Jon Linder, who covered Bailey during his Miami years, also shared a tribute noting the player’s unusual path from Sapelo Island to the NFL.

#Canes I was lucky to cover Allen Bailey’s years at Miami and have him tell me his story of living on an island off of Georgia, taking the ferry to the mainland for school and being unable to sleep at home during the week because the last ferry to the island left before football practice ended. He sacrificed his balance and the comforts of home to develop his game, earn a scholarship to Miami and eventually go on to play several years in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a quiet, prideful man who knew how to blend a big warm smile with his tenacious energy on the field. So sorry to see him leave us at such a young age. Prayers to his family, friends, and former teammates. RIP 🙏🏻

— Jon Linder (@LinderShowMiami) October 21, 2026

Former Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen, who played alongside Bailey in Kansas City, posted his own tribute shortly after midnight.

Lost a teammate, a friend, a brother. God needed another angel. Rest easy, my brother. 🕊️🙏🏽 https://t.co/dujzrXzTiX

— The Cookie Expert (@JeffAllen71) October 21, 2026

Those weeknights away from home led to McIntosh County Academy in Darien and a scholarship to Miami, where Bailey signed in 2007. He appeared in 50 games over four seasons with the Hurricanes and finished with 19 sacks, including seven in each of his final two seasons.

Kansas City drafted him in the third round, 86th overall, in 2011. He was a regular starter for the final five of his eight seasons with the Chiefs and finished his time there with 102 games, 61 starts and 19.5 sacks. His final season in Kansas City, 2018, produced a career-high six sacks and an NFL-best four fumble recoveries.

Kansas City signed him to a four-year, $25 million extension in the middle of that run.

“We are happy that we were able to reach an agreement to keep Allen in Kansas City. He has developed into a good football player and a key member of our defense,” then-general manager John Dorsey said at the time.

How teammates in Kansas City described Allen Bailey

Coaches and teammates in Kansas City nicknamed him “The Incredible Hulk,” and fellow defensive lineman Jaye Howard once explained where the name came from.

“That’s him, man, that’s him. Before the game, they even give him the green Gatorade. That’s the Hulk right there, man. He’s cut. I’ve never seen anything like it. His strength, I don’t care how big a dude is, he can find a way to get him on the ground, just throw him and shed him,” Howard said in comments published by the Chiefs’ official site.

During his Chiefs years, Bailey hosted an annual football camp at McIntosh County Academy, where fellow NFL players Lamar Miller, Olivier Vernon and Allen Hurns once joined him, and the team’s website later produced a video feature that followed him back to Sapelo Island.

Bailey signed a two-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons in July 2019 and spent two seasons there, starting nine games, before the team released him in February 2021. He finished his 10-year NFL career with 133 regular-season games and 22 sacks.