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Yesterday, the Kansas City Chiefs canceled practice after one of their players suffered a medical emergency. Backup defensive end BJ Thompson had a seizure during a special teams meeting on Thursday and went into cardiac arrest. The Chiefs' medical staff worked quickly before an ambulance arrived. He was reportedly in stable condition when news broke on Thursday. Now, Thompson's agent has an update on his status.
BJ Thompon's agent, Chris Turnage, spoke about Thompson's status after visiting him in the hospital.
“BJ is still unconscious at this point, but he’s stable and vitals are good,” Turnage said, per NFL insider Tom Pelissero. “His family asks for your continued prayers.”
Hours later, Pelissero shared another update from Thompson's agent stating that he was awake:
‘A positive update: #Chiefs DE BJ Thompson is awake and responsive, according to his agent, Chris Turnage. One day after Thompson suffered a seizure and went into cardiac arrest during a special teams meeting, the second-year pro’s prognosis is good'
The Kansas City Chiefs selected BJ Thompson in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Thompson played college football at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick in 2021 and 2022, putting up some solid production as a pass rusher in both seasons. He absolutely crushed the athletic testing portions of the pre-draft process in 2023, which made him a more promising prospect for NFL teams. Despite a draft projection as a seventh-rounder or priority UDFA by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, the Chiefs selected him in the fifth round.
Thompson only appeared in one game for the Chiefs in 2023.
Thompson's medical scare occurred not long after the team visited the White House for their Super Bowl 58 victory celebration.
The Chiefs will begin their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. Whenever Thompson returns to the team, he will be in a tight competition for a depth spot at defensive end. The most likely scenario is that he makes Kansas City's practice squad.
Previewing the 2024 NFL season for the Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs will attempt to make NFL history this season. Kansas City has won two Super Bowls in a row, but no team has ever won three straight.
The Chiefs will receive every opponent's best shot this year, which is nothing new for them. They have been one of the scariest teams in the NFL since 2018 when Patrick Mahomes exploded for over 5,000 passing yards and 50 TDs.
On paper, the Chiefs are ready to roll. They maintained nearly all of their starters from 2023 on defense, with the exception of L'Jarius Sneed. Kansas City also reloaded on offense, bringing in Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy to bring some speed to the wide receiver room. The deep passing game looks like it will be back in 2024.
Kansas City's biggest challenge in the regular season could be their bizarre schedule. The NFL schedule makers put the Chiefs on several primetime and nationally-televised games, creating a situation where no two weeks will feel the same for Kansas City. In fact, the Chiefs will play on every day of the week, except Tuesday, at least once this season.
The Chiefs just need to survive their regular season schedule with a playoff berth to keep their three-peat dreams alive.
We can't wait for the 2024 NFL season to finally arrive.
