Chiefs’ BJ Thompson Alert, Talking to Doctors After Suffering Cardiac Arrest

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end BJ Thompson is speaking with doctors.

Chris Turnage, Thompson’s agent, told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network on Friday his client “is awake and responsive.”

“BJ is awake. He’s responding,” Turnage said. “Right now, he’s talking. The doctors are optimistic at this point, so there is some reason for optimism.”

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter that Thompson could be released as early as Monday or Tuesday:

“I just checked with Thompson’s agent, Chris Turnage, this morning who is there in Kansas City with him, he said not only is he awake and alert, but he’s talking with the doctors, having conversations. He could be released from the hospital as early as Monday or Tuesday, so that’s great news for Thompson and the Chiefs.”

Rick Burkholder, the Chiefs’ vice president of sports medicine and performance, told reporters that Thompson began experiencing seizures during a meeting with the special teams unit on Thursday. Kicker Harrison Butker alerted trainers Julie Frymyer and David Glover to the unfolding emergency. A team doctor from an adjoining health facility also tended to the 25-year-old before first responders arrived.

Burkholder said Thompson suffered cardiac arrest for up to a minute or a minute and a half.

“The NFL mandates that we do these emergency action plans,” he said. “It’s every team in the league — home, away and in your practice facility. We’re mandated to practice [those plans] multiple times a year. Ironically, we practiced on Monday.”

The Chiefs selected Thompson in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft. He suited up in the team’s regular-season finale, a 13-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18.

Kansas City’s mandatory minicamp opens Tuesday and runs through Thursday. Training camp will follow in late July.