Former Chiefs Defensive End Allen Bailey Dies at 37

Allen Bailey, a former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end, has died at age 37. His wife found him dead at their home in Florida on Tuesday, Yahoo Sports reported. His family believes he died of natural causes. No official cause of death has been announced.

The Chiefs' head coach, Andy Reid, called Bailey one of his favorite players and "a great kid." Quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he was praying for Bailey's family and described him as a great teammate and a "glue guy," a player who holds a group together even when his name is not on the highlight reel. Mahomes and Bailey spent two seasons together after the Chiefs drafted Mahomes in 2017.

In a statement, the organization called Bailey an excellent teammate, a generous man and a kind soul, and said it was deeply saddened by his passing.

Bailey was born into a very different kind of place. He grew up on Sapelo Island, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia with fewer than 70 residents. The island can only be reached by boat. He went on to play college football at the University of Miami.

The Chiefs selected him in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. He spent eight seasons in Kansas City, then finished his career with the Atlanta Falcons over his final two NFL seasons. A defensive end lines up on the edge of the defensive line, where his job is to pressure the quarterback and hold the edge against the run.

The Chiefs had told his story before. A video on Chiefs.com, titled "Allen Bailey: Pride of Sapelo Island," returns to his home on the island. The team tied that episode to the making of its Super Bowl LVIII ring.

Bailey is survived by his wife. Tributes from his former teammates and coaches have focused on the same thing: the kind of person he was off the field.