Kicker Harrison Butker sprang into action when teammate BJ Thompson began having seizure and suffered cardiac arrest during a team meeting, helping to save his life.
- Jun 8, 2024
AceShowbiz - In a heart-stopping moment that transcended the gridiron, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker reminded everyone what it means to be part of a team as he stepped into action when his teammate BJ Thompson experienced a medical emergency.
During a team meeting on Thursday, June 6, defensive lineman BJ Thompson had a seizure, prompting Butker to immediately sprint towards the training room for additional help.
"When he had the seizure, Butker immediately ran towards the training room," said Chiefs Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder during a press conference the following day. The medical team managed to stabilize Thompson and lay him on the floor as he continued to seize, before he went into cardiac arrest.
Thompson received a shock from an automated external defibrillator (AED) and was only in cardiac arrest for approximately one minute, according to Burkholder. The rapid and coordinated response from Butker and the medical team proved crucial in Thompson's emergency treatment.
"As a team, we tried to stabilize BJ and then put him on the floor while he was still seizing and then he went into cardiac arrest," Burkholder explained.
Thompson was subsequently taken into the care of the Kansas City Fire Department and paramedics before being admitted to the University of Kansas Health System hospital. There, he was heavily sedated through the night and kept on a ventilator.
By Friday morning, Thompson was brought out of sedation, and although a precise diagnosis has yet to be confirmed, Burkholder noted that Thompson is "coming through quite well" and is "headed in the absolute right direction."
Chiefs safety Justin Reid commended Butker's quick actions, stating, "Harrison's that guy, he loves all of us and we're a family. This is so much deeper than just football. We root for each other and in a moment like that you just have to call yourself into action and Harrison did that." The team's Vice President of Sports Medicine lauded the efforts of Chiefs players, security staff, coaching staff, and additional employees, describing them as "phenomenal in handling the crisis."
Butker's heroism stands in stark contrast to the recent controversy surrounding a commencement speech he gave at Benedictine College. During the speech, Butker voiced opinions on sensitive topics such as abortion, IVF, surrogacy, and LGBTQ+ Pride month, which sparked significant backlash from various entities, including the NFL and notable figures.
Despite this, teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce publicly stated that they disagreed with some of Butker's comments but emphasized that he remains a "great teammate and great person."
Amidst Thompson's medical emergency, other off-field issues have caught the spotlight. Chiefs' defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs currently faces accusations of second-degree animal cruelty after allegedly abandoning two malnourished dogs at a rental home in Alabama. In another case, wide receiver Rashee Rice turned himself in to police in Texas after an arrest warrant was issued for his involvement in a multi-car collision in Dallas.
