Chiefs DL BJ Thompson responsive following seizure, cardiac arrest

Kansas Metropolis Chiefs defensive lineman BJ Thompson is awake and responsive someday after struggling a seizure and going into cardiac arrest throughout a particular groups assembly, NFL Community Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Friday, per Thompson’s agent.

Chiefs vice chairman of sports activities drugs and efficiency Rick Burkholder instructed reporters on Friday that Thompson was closely sedated at a neighborhood hospital on Thursday and in a single day following the incident and was on a ventilator in a single day to help together with his respiratory, however that has since been eliminated.

“He is awake and he is alert,” Burkholder mentioned. “He is headed within the absolute proper route.”

Burkholder defined the scary scenario on Thursday, and famous that kicker Harrison Butker alerted the medical workers of Thompson’s situation when the seizure started.

Burkholder mentioned that the workers needed to carry out CPR on Thompson and used a defibrillator one time after he went into cardiac arrest.

“Our gamers, our safety workers, all people concerned, coaches and workers, they had been phenomenal in dealing with the disaster,” Burkholder mentioned.

Burkholder added that the league mandates groups follow their emergency motion plans a number of occasions a yr, and the Chiefs simply occurred to conduct an train on Monday.

“That is a tricky scenario, I have been by way of a few these earlier than in my time and it is by no means enjoyable,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid instructed reporters on Friday. “Thank goodness although, if it needed to occur, no higher place then proper right here the place he had the help that is aware of what to do.”

The Chiefs cancelled all group actions scheduled for Thursday following the incident.

Thompson, a 2023 fifth-round decide, appeared in a single sport throughout his rookie season.

The reigning Tremendous Bowl champions are at present in Part 3 of their voluntary offseason program. Necessary minicamp is scheduled to start on Tuesday.