Rodney saw extensive playing time throughout the 2001 regular season and recorded his first NFL sack when he started for an injured Kimo von Oelhoffen against Buffalo in late September.

Throughout college, Bailey was a very intense player who highly improved over the years for the Ohio Buckeyes. He had started 34 games for the Buckeyes and finished his college career with 17 and one half sacks. His best year was as a senior and the team's co-captain and Defensive Player of the Year in 2000. He registered 31 tackles, 13 tackles for losses, eight sacks, and 4 batted-down passes. He was voted by his teammates as Co-Most Inspirational Player at the end of his senior year. Even as a freshman he had played in every game, starting four. Rodney graduated in 3 and a half years with a degree in communications.