![Patrick Mahomes tells the story to his quarterbacks every year. The first time he walked into the Chiefs locker room as a rookie in 2017, the first player he saw was Allen Bailey. "I tell this story kind of like every year with [quarterbacks]. He was the first person I saw when I stepped into the locker room [in Kansas City]," Mahomes said at a press conference on Thursday, a day after Bailey's death. "This isn't the Big 12 anymore." That was the thought that went through the then-21-year-old's head looking at the 6-foot-3, 288-pound defensive end. Mahomes said Bailey became one of the players who held the team together without ever being its headline act. "He's one of those glue guys on the team. He makes plays, but he's not necessarily the superstar, but the guy that kind of makes everything go." "It was terrible to hear that news later last night," Mahomes added. Andy Reid: 'one of my favorite players' Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who coached Bailey from 2013 through 2018, paid his own tribute on Thursday. "On the passing of Allen Bailey, our hearts go out to his family," Reid said. "One of my favorite players. Great, great kid, and just sorry to see that happened to him." Reid remembered a defender who did the unglamorous work. "He gave you an honest down every snap." Bailey was a third-round pick out of the University of Miami in 2011 and spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Chiefs before two final years with the Atlanta Falcons. His best statistical year came in 2018, when he posted a career-high six sacks alongside the quarterback he had helped welcome to the league the previous summer. Clay County deputies called for cardiac arrest Deputies from the Clay County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to Bailey's home in Green Cove Springs, Florida, on Wednesday morning after a call reporting cardiac arrest, according to the police report. The person who had called was waiting at the gate and led deputies to where Bailey was. He was pronounced dead about 10 minutes after officers arrived on the scene. His wife, Lauren, found him inside the home. Bailey's family told TMZ, which first obtained the police report, that they believed he died of natural causes. The Clay County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into the death and has not confirmed a cause. Mahomes closed his remarks on Thursday by turning to the family. "We're praying for his family, and know that all his teammates, we've talked, and we know that we're going to do whatever we can to support those guys." Bailey was 37. The sheriff's office investigation remains open.](https://lentedesportiva.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/lente-6b40c926-6779-4e59-a19a-5b55066c357e.jpg)
Patrick Mahomes tells the story to his quarterbacks every year. The first time he walked into the Chiefs locker room as a rookie in 2017, the first player he saw was Allen Bailey.
“I tell this story kind of like every year with [quarterbacks]. He was the first person I saw when I stepped into the locker room [in Kansas City],” Mahomes said at a press conference on Thursday, a day after Bailey’s death.
“This isn’t the Big 12 anymore.”
That was the thought that went through the then-21-year-old’s head looking at the 6-foot-3, 288-pound defensive end. Mahomes said Bailey became one of the players who held the team together without ever being its headline act.
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“He’s one of those glue guys on the team. He makes plays, but he’s not necessarily the superstar, but the guy that kind of makes everything go.”
“It was terrible to hear that news later last night,” Mahomes added.
Andy Reid: ‘one of my favorite players’
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who coached Bailey from 2013 through 2018, paid his own tribute on Thursday.
“On the passing of Allen Bailey, our hearts go out to his family,” Reid said.
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“One of my favorite players. Great, great kid, and just sorry to see that happened to him.”
Reid remembered a defender who did the unglamorous work.
“He gave you an honest down every snap.”
Bailey was a third-round pick out of the University of Miami in 2011 and spent his first eight NFL seasons with the Chiefs before two final years with the Atlanta Falcons. His best statistical year came in 2018, when he posted a career-high six sacks alongside the quarterback he had helped welcome to the league the previous summer.
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Clay County deputies called for cardiac arrest
Deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Bailey’s home in Green Cove Springs, Florida, on Wednesday morning after a call reporting cardiac arrest, according to the police report.
The person who had called was waiting at the gate and led deputies to where Bailey was. He was pronounced dead about 10 minutes after officers arrived on the scene. His wife, Lauren, found him inside the home.
Bailey’s family told TMZ, which first obtained the police report, that they believed he died of natural causes. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation into the death and has not confirmed a cause.
Mahomes closed his remarks on Thursday by turning to the family.
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“We’re praying for his family, and know that all his teammates, we’ve talked, and we know that we’re going to do whatever we can to support those guys.”
Bailey was 37. The sheriff’s office investigation remains open.
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