For all its glory, the NFL is a wonderous game that brings joy to 32 NFL cities and their beloved fan bases. Yet, when a tragedy falls on the league, such as the case with Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker BJ Thompson, you realize these warriors are as human as the fans who watch them every Sunday.
UPDATE 12:05 PM CST:
Per BJ Thompson’s agent, Chris Turnage, he is awake and responsive to doctors.
On Thursday, the Kansas City Chiefs postponed their last OTA session. At first, all the media had learned was that a player had collapsed. Throughout the day, we were told that Linebacker BJ Thompson had a cardiac event in a team meeting.
He was taken to a local Hospital by ambulance and remained there Friday morning, still unconscious but in stable condition, per his agent, Chris Turnage.
“BJ is still unconscious at this point, but he’s stable, and his vitals are good. His family asks for your continued prayers,” Turnage sent reporters this morning.
Though Thompson wasn’t active on the field at the time of his seizure, nonetheless, it’s a scary medical event and one where it highlights the immense shape NFL athletes must be in to play in the NFL. Of note, his chances for a full recovery probably increased because he was an athlete in peak condition.
Again, we don’t know what happened or the cause of the medical emergency, but the Chiefs medical staff acted quickly, and the team was wise to postpone the OTA session until today.
I’ve been around this sport for over five decades, and I marvel at the elevation of the NFL players in their desire to play such a violent gladiator sport for our benefit. The modern-day NFL athlete is vastly different from the teams of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The game was more physical, but the athletes didn’t have the medical resources now available in the modern game. Nor were they as big physically or as fast as the men who play the game today.
As the NFL grew in age and popularity, player safety evolved over the last thirty years. A massive amount of thought has gone into making sure the game remains competitive, and the number of career-ending injuries remains as low as possible.
As fans, we are accustomed to injuries. We hope they don’t occur, but the players, as stated before, are human. Though they might be in great physical shape, a single misstep on the field can end their season. What happened to BJ Thompson isn’t that, of course; instead, it’s far more serious.
It’s hard to imagine that a 25-year-old NFL player could collapse like that, but it did, and we must band together and pray he has a full recovery so he can enjoy his life. Forget playing football for a while but return to the quality of life he wants for himself and his family.
Hopefully, we will get a better understanding in the coming days. The good news is that he will be okay and out of the hospital very soon.
From everyone at the Chiefs Blitz family, we offer prayers to BJ Thomspon and hope he makes a speedy recovery.
