Kansas City Chiefs had to postpone OTA practice on Thursday when defensive lineman BJ Thompson had a seizure in a special teams meeting and went into cardiac arrest.
According to NFL network reporter Tom Pelissero, Thompson is now in a stable condition in hospital.
‘The Chiefs canceled all team activities today after a backup defensive lineman had a seizure in a special teams meeting and went into cardiac arrest, per sources,’ Pelissero wrote on X.
‘The team’s medical staff worked quickly, an ambulance was called and the player is currently in stable condition.’
Thompson, 25, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Chiefs in 2023 from Stephen F. Austin university in Texas. He has played once for the team, against the Chargers in January – the final game of the regular season. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce missed that game, with a place in the playoffs already secured.
BJ Thompson had a seizure in a special teams meeting and went into cardiac arrest Thursday
The 25-year-old Thompson has played once for the Chiefs since being drafted in 2023
Last week, Thompson was at the White House, where the Chiefs celebrated Super Bowl victory
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Last week, Thompson was part of the Chiefs team that visited the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl title with President Biden. He shared several pictures from the visit to his Instagram account and joked in the caption that the trip ‘got me feeling like the president.’
Speaking to media last May, after being picked by the Chiefs, Thompson, who grew up in Arkansas, said: ‘I just want to put on for my town and show them that anything is possible, no matter where you come from. Hopefully I am accomplishing that.
‘Me and my friends, we all had dreams and goals of NFL, NBA but along the lines, dreams kind of die off and people get other plans.
‘For me, it never really did. I always had in the back of my head I was going to play professional sports and I was blessed enough to make it happen.’
According to The Athletic, the Chiefs will practice Friday. The team has been contacted for comment but media availability that had been schedules with coach Andy Reid is now canceled.
Time will tell what this means for Thompson’s career but Damar Hamlin had a cardiac arrest on the field when his Buffalo Bills team played Cincinnati Bengals. He returned to the game last season, playing eight times.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been leading his players through OTAs this week, with the team beginning preparations ahead of their shot at an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title in the new season.
Reid’s team have held practice this week ahead of a mandatory minicamp next week, running from June 11-13, where Mahomes will join up again with Travis Kelce. OTAs typically see teams run drills with no physical contact.
Thompson joked on Instagram that his White House trip made him feel like he was president
Thompson pictured celebrating in Las Vegas when the Chiefs won the Super Bowl this year
The Chiefs called off Thursday’s practice after Thompson was hospitalized, where he is stable
The Chiefs open the new NFL season three months today, with a game against Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday, September 5.
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl last season when they beat the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas.
The year before, they beat the Philadelphia Eagles with Travis emerging victorious over his brother Jason.