Allen Bailey, a former NFL defensive lineman nicknamed “The Hulk” for his burly physique, has died at age 37.
His wife, Lauren Bailey, found him dead in their Florida home Tuesday, the defender’s brother, Alford Bailey Jr., told TMZ Wednesday.
Although a cause of death hasn’t been confirmed, Alford said the family believes he died of natural causes.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid spoke about Bailey’s death at a news conference on Wednesday.
“Our hearts go out to his family. Prayers are with them,” Reid said. “Way too young, obviously. One of my favorite players. Great kid. Just sorry to see that happened to him.”
The Kansas City Chiefs selected the Georgia native in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft after he played defensive end at the University of Miami.
As a third-round pick, Bailey was a backup early on. But at 6-foot-3 and 288 pounds, he rose to stardom in 2014, recording five sacks in 12 starts.
He signed a four-year $25 million contract extension midway through that season.
While with the Chiefs, he founded the Allen Bailey Foundation, a nonprofit that supports student-athletes and families in Georgia.
The foundation launched McIntosh County’s first free youth football camp, giving hundreds of student-athletes the chance to train with NFL players. The nonprofit also organizes turkey drives, toy drives, and backpack giveaways.
He played for the Chiefs for eight seasons before joining the Atlanta Falcons in 2019. He played two seasons there before the Falcons released him in 2021 as the team reshaped its roster and cut salary-cap costs. The star played 133 NFL regular-season games in his decade-long career, with 22 sacks and 248 tackles.
His death comes months after former Chiefs teammate Jordan Devey died at 38, who played with Bailey from 2016 to 2018.
Devey’s death was reported as a suicide by a family-linked fundraiser.
Two other former Chiefs football players also died this year, though both were in their 80s. Former wide receiver Frank Pitts died in January at age 82, and former defensive back Bobby Hunt died at 85.
Fans of Bailey have already taken to Instagram and Facebook to offer their condolences to his family, with one user saying, “No, not Allen Bailey. I grew up watching him.”
His teammates have consistently said his nickname contradicts his personality, as he was tough on the field but soft-spoken and personable off it.
“He’s kind of a gentle giant,” former Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said on the team’s website. “You know not to mess with him, but at the same time, he’s very approachable. He laughs and jokes with me all the time.”
Former Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen wrote about his late teammate’s death on X, saying, “Lost a teammate, a friend, a brother... God needed another angel.”
“Rest easy, my brother,” Allen concluded.
