Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Allen Bailey, a veteran of 10 NFL seasons, died Tuesday at just 37 years old. The news, reportedly confirmed by his brother Alford to TMZ, hit the league hard, sparking an immediate outpouring of grief from across the NFL.
Allen Bailey’s Legacy in Kansas City
Bailey spent eight of his ten NFL seasons with the Chiefs after they drafted him in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was a force on that defensive line, starting 61 games and racking up some serious numbers for Kansas City: 207 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 6 passes defended, and 4 forced fumbles. And who could forget that defensive touchdown? In a huge 2018 game against the Los Angeles Rams, with the team down three in the fourth quarter, Bailey scooped up a Jared Goff fumble and rumbled into the end zone for the lead. Man, that was a moment, even if the Chiefs couldn’t hold on, losing a wild one 54-51. He really laid it all out there.
“One of My Favorite Players”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who coached Bailey from 2013 to 2018, spoke to the media Wednesday, visibly emotional. “One of my favorite players. A great kid. I’m sorry to see that happen,” Reid said. Those words tell you everything about the kind of guy Allen was. After his time with the Chiefs, Bailey took his talents to the Atlanta Falcons for two years after the 2018 season, adding another 41 tackles and 2.5 sacks to his career before being released ahead of the 2021 season. Before the NFL, he was a standout at the University of Miami, earning first-team All-ACC honors in 2009 and second-team in 2010.
It’s just devastating to hear about someone so young, who gave so much to the game, passing away. Allen Bailey left a mark, both on the field and in the hearts of those who knew him, including one of the most respected coaches in the league. The NFL community is definitely going to be feeling this loss for a long time.
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Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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