Why did the Chiefs cancel practice? Team halts activity after player went into cardiac arrest during meeting

David Suggs

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Why did the Chiefs cancel practice? Team halts activity after player went into cardiac arrest during meeting image

The Chiefs were forced to halt their scheduled team activities Thursday after a player — reported to be defensive lineman BJ Thompson, per NFL Media — suffered a medical emergency during a special teams meeting.

Here's what you need to know about the ongoing situation.

Why did the Chiefs cancel practice?

Thompson, a second-year backup, is said to have suffered a seizure during the meeting. He then went into cardiac arrest.

Kansas City's medical team tended to him quickly, per reports. An ambulance was soon called and Thompson was transported to a hospital. He remains under watch but he is now in stable condition.

Thompson's agent revealed Thursday night that his client remains unconscious despite being in stable condition. 

Thursday's practice was slated to be Kansas City's final offseason training activity (OTA) after practicing on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Chiefs canceled Thursday's session. Another session is scheduled for Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. They will also return to the training ground next week for mandatory mini camp.

On Friday morning, it was reported that Thompson is "awake and responsive", his agent, Chris Turnage, told Tom Pelissero. 

Details began to emerge regarding Kansas City's medical staff's response to Thompson's crisis on Friday afternoon. Chiefs VP of sports medicine and performance Rick Burkholder revealed that the team had actually practiced its medical emergency plan on Monday to prepare itself for a situation like the one that occurred. He also highlighted Harrison Butker's role in alerting medical staff of Thompson's condition and getting him some assistance, per Pelissero.

Media availability with head coach Andy Reid and select players will now take place Friday in light of Thursday's events.

Thompson appeared in one game as a rookie. Prior to his selection in the fifth round of last year's NFL Draft, he starred at Stephen F. Austin.

BJ Thompson stats

Thompson saw precious few minutes of game time in his maiden season. He did record a few stats, however.

YearTacklesSacksINTsFFFR
202320000

BJ Thompson contract

Thompson inked a four-year, $4,111,652 contract after Kansas City made him its fifth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. $271,652 of that total is guaranteed, per Spotrac. His average annual value (AAV) is $1,027,913.

Cardiac arrest in the NFL

Unfortunately, Thompson is not the first NFL player to suffer cardiac arrest during his career. Multiple players have dealt with the issue, including, most recently, Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during a Jan. 2023 matchup with the Bengals, collapsing after tackling Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins.

Hamlin regained consciousness two days later. He didn't play another down that season, but offered support from afar. The following year, Hamlin returned to the field, playing a bit-part role during Buffalo's run to the AFC Divisional Round.

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.