Following a medical emergency at their training facility Thursday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs postponed their voluntary organized team activities practice until Friday afternoon after backup defensive lineman BJ Thompson had a seizure in a special-teams meeting and went into cardiac arrest, according to a league source.
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Thompson was taken by ambulance to an area hospital, according to a team source, and is in stable condition.
When the emergency occurred, team doctors and athletic trainers were able to respond immediately to Thompson, the team source said.
The Chiefs have postponed their OTA practice for today, one that was set to be the open reporters, after a medical emergency. I'm told a backup player was taken by ambulance to an area hospital. He's in stable condition.
The Chiefs are planning to practice tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/GQvdKKM3Mc
— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) June 6, 2024
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood. When this occurs, blood doesn’t flow to the brain or other important organs.
During cardiac arrest, the heart gets out of rhythm and suddenly stops beating. The person no longer has a pulse, stops breathing and becomes unconscious.
Unlike a heart attack, cardiac arrest is caused by an electrical disturbance that disrupts how the heart pumps blood throughout the body, ultimately stopping blood flow. There is not a blockage to the heart.
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Thompson, a fifth-round pick in 2023, is one of the Chiefs’ developmental defensive ends, a former basketball player who spent almost all of his rookie season similar to a redshirt freshman in college. He appeared in one game, the Chiefs’ regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, where he recorded two tackles in 28 defensive snaps.
At age 27, Thompson is entering the 2024 season hoping to earn a role as a rotational edge rusher.
Thursday’s practice was set to be open to reporters, the final such practice before the team’s mandatory minicamp next week. If the Chiefs conduct their practice Friday, coach Andy Reid is expected to be available to reporters to provide an update on Thompson and the situation.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
