Lauren Bailey has broken her silence since the death of her husband, former NFL defensive end Allen Bailey.
In posts on her Instagram Stories this week, captured by The Big Lead, she called her husband “my person” and said he had made her “believe in soulmates.” She thanked the family, friends and well-wishers who had reached out with messages, calls, flowers and food in the days since his death.
She wrote that she still could not say the words out loud and that the loss would always be, in her words, a sting in her heart and a punch to the gut. She signed off by naming him three times over: “My Bailey. My Shooby. My Hulk.”
Found dead at home
Allen Bailey was found dead at his home in Florida on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, according to an obituary posted on Legacy.com. His brother Alford Bailey Jr. told TMZ that no foul play was suspected and that the family believed Bailey had died of natural causes. He was 37.
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The Chiefs confirmed his death the following day, describing him in a club statement as “an excellent teammate, generous man, and kind soul.” No official cause of death has been released.
Reid: ‘Way too young’
Head coach Andy Reid, who had Bailey in his squad for six of his eight seasons in Kansas City, spoke about him at a news conference the day after the news broke.
“Our hearts go out to his family. Our prayers are with them. Way too young, obviously, one of my favorite players.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who met Bailey as a rookie in 2017, told reporters he had been struck by Bailey’s size and presence when he first walked into the locker room, and described him as “one of those glue guys on the team”, a player who did not need the spotlight but made everything run.
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Tributes also came from former teammates including defensive tackle Chris Jones, receiver Dwayne Bowe, centre Mitch Morse and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz.
From Miami to Kansas City
Bailey was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami. He spent his first eight professional seasons with the Chiefs from 2011 to 2018 before closing his career with the Atlanta Falcons across 2019 and 2020.
Over 133 regular-season games, he recorded 248 tackles, 22 sacks, four forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries, 40 of those tackles for a loss. He was known inside the Chiefs locker room as “The Hulk,” the nickname his wife returned to in her tribute this week.
The Chiefs have not announced any formal in-stadium tribute. The family has not shared public details of a funeral or memorial.
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