Kansas City Chiefs BJ Thompson health update: Positive signs after cardiac arrest, ventilator

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end BJ Thompson was recuperating at a hospital. 25-year-old Thompson was awake and responsive on Friday, one day after the second-year pro experienced a seizure during a team meeting and went into cardiac arrest at the Kansas City practice facility.

Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said the 25-year-old Thompson was placed on a ventilator and heavily sedated Thursday night at the University of Kansas Health System. He was brought out of sedation on Friday and his prognosis is good.

Thompson, a fifth-round draft pick out of Stephen F. Austin last year, was in the meeting room before the Chiefs were scheduled to have their final voluntary workout of the offseason. He began to have a seizure and kicker Harrison Butker immediately ran to the trainer's room and summoned assistant trainers Julie Frymyer and David Glover.


They were joined by Burkholder in helping Thompson as he went into cardiac arrest. Dr. Jean-Philippe Darche soon arrived from the Kansas Health Sports Medicine and Performance Center, which adjoins the practice facility.

The NFL mandates that teams practice emergency action plans for a variety of situations, including cardiac crises like the one that Thompson experienced. The Chiefs had just completed their most recent practice session on Monday.

The Chiefs gave players the rest of Thursday off, pushing the final organized team activity to Friday. They have their mandatory three-day minicamp next week before breaking until training camp in late July in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Thompson played in only one game during his rookie season, the regular-season finale against the Chargers, when Kansas City already had clinched its playoff spot and the outcome was meaningless. Thompson had two tackles in that game.

FAQs:

Q1. Who is BJ Thompson?
A1. BJ Thompson is Kansas City Chiefs defensive end.

Q2. What is BJ Thompson's age?
A2. BJ Thompson's age is 25-year-old.