Kansas City Chiefs player BJ Thompson has been released from hospital four days after suffering cardiac arrest last week.
Defensive lineman Thompson had a seizure in a special teams meeting and went into cardiac arrest last Thursday.
The 25-year-old was released from hospital Monday night after being treated, his agent Chris Turnage told Tom Pelissero.
‘The family thanks everyone for their prayers and wants to especially thank the Chiefs medical and training staff for their rapid response and professionalism throught this situation,’ Turnage added.
Thompson will now continue his progress on the road to recovery. Time will tell what this means for Thompson’s career but Damar Hamlin had a cardiac arrest on the field when his Buffalo Bills team played Cincinnati Bengals. He returned to the game last season, playing eight times.
BJ Thompson has been released from hospital four days after suffering cardiac arrest
The Chiefs postponed OTA practice last Thursday when Thompson went into cardiac arrest at the team’s practice facility.
Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said kicker Harrison Butker was the one who raced out of the room to get aid for his ailing teammate.
Butker ‘immediately ran toward the training room’ in order to notify staffers of the situation.
Team doctors were able to get the 25-year-old defensive end’s heart back in rhythm using CPR and a single AED shock.
Burkholder said they were not sure what caused the situation, but said that Thompson is ‘headed in the absolute right direction’.
The Chiefs returned to training on Friday after some of their stars had participated in a charity softball game Thursday evening.
Justin Reid and Trey Smith hosted the second annual Kansas City charity softball game, formerly organized by Marquez Valdes-Scantling – who was traded to the Buffalo Bills this offseason.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo had been the first to speak out on Thompson’s condition after his cardiac arrest on Thursday.
Thompson, pictured celebrating in Las Vegas when the Chiefs won the Super Bowl this year, had a seizure during a special teams meeting before going into cardiac arrest
Kansas City’s defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke out on his condition Thursday
Patrick Mahomes (left) and Travis Kelce (right) were seen out on the grass as the Chiefs returned to practice on Friday
‘Let me say this before I say anything, I’m thinking about BJ right now,’ Spagnuolo volunteered before taking questions from reporters, via Fox4KC.
‘It was scary. I think the guys were a little bit scared, I know I was. But a lot of praying and [head athletic trainer] Rick [Burkholder] and his staff did a terrific job.’
He added that he wasn’t in the room when it happened due to it taking place during a special teams meeting but praised the staff who stepped in to help.
‘But everybody you know, to a man to a person to a woman, because we have some female trainers, they were terrific, they did a great job. So we’ll keep our fingers crossed. I’ll let Andy handle the rest of that.’
