Safety Dion Bailey's first week with the Jets leaves him gassed
??Seattle Seahawks' Dion Bailey in action at an NFL football camp practice Wednesday, July 30, 2014, in Renton, Wash. Credit: AP
Dion Bailey finally can sleep.
After a whirlwind week that began in Seattle on Monday and ended 4,781 miles away in London -- and also included a brief stopover in New Jersey -- the newly acquired Jets safety is counting his blessings. And soon he'll be counting sheep.
"I'm going to sleep a lot. I haven't slept a lot all week. I'm really exhausted. It's just been a whirlwind. But, I mean, man, what a day," the USC product said Sunday after recording four tackles and a pass breakup late in the fourth quarter of the Jets' 27-14 win over the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium.
Bailey, 23, was cut by the Seahawks on Sept. 26 after Kam Chancellor ended his holdout. He was claimed off waivers by the Jets two days later. Bailey said he took a red-eye flight from Seattle last Monday night, arrived in New Jersey at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday and practiced Wednesday.
Bailey noted that he's "not an NFL guy," so he doesn't keep up with NFL happenings unless it's for video-study purposes. As a result, he had no idea he was headed to London with his new team. A mad dash to find his passport ensued.
"I didn't know we were playing in London until my agent told me," Bailey said.
Panic soon set in, but Bailey's passport eventually showed up. He also said on Sunday, according to USA Today, that his former USC quarterback, Matt Barkley, should get all the credit for him having a passport in the first place.
During his freshman year of college, Bailey was enlisted by Barkley to help do community work in Haiti. Bailey said he applied for his first-ever passport in order to make the trip.
Fortunately for the Jets (3-1), Bailey -- who was sent into Sunday's game after second-year safety Calvin Pryor left with a knee injury -- found his documentation in time. Bailey made two critical tackles and broke up a pass from Ryan Tannehill on the Dolphins' second-to-last drive of the game. Then Darrelle Revis intercepted a fourth-down pass in the end zone.
"My tackling has carried me a long way," Bailey said. "So that's something I take a lot of pride in. I take pride in two things I can control, and that's my effort and my physicality. I try to bring that to the table every time I take the field."
Bailey said he didn't know much about the Jets before coming to New Jersey but had heard a lot of good things about coach Todd Bowles from a friend, Arizona strong safety Tony Jefferson, who played under Bowles in 2013-14.
"As soon as the Jets claimed me, he texted me, like: Man, you're going to be in a great position. Coach Bowles is going to love you," Bailey said. "Tony was in the same position I was in; he came out undrafted and coach Bowles gave him a shot."
Now Bailey hopes he can stick with the Jets. But first he must tackle one more thing: their Week 5 bye.
"I don't think I'll ever forget this week for the rest of my life," Bailey said, smiling. "This has been a crazy week for me."
