Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke out on BJ Thompson’s condition after the defensive lineman suffered cardiac arrest Thursday.
The Chiefs had to postpone OTA practice earlier in the day when Thompson, 25, had a seizure in a special teams meeting and went into cardiac arrest.
Thompson is said to now be in stable condition in hospital and Spagnuolo broke the team’s silence on the incident during a charity softball game, hosted by Chiefs stars Justin Reid and Trey Smith Thursday evening.
The defensive coordinator admitted the incident left the team shaken up, before insisting head coach Andy Reid will provide an official update later. Reid is expected to speak on the matter 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.
BJ Thompson had a seizure in a special teams meeting and went into cardiac arrest Thursday
Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke out on his condition
‘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.’
Spagnuolo spoke at the second annual Kansas City charity softball game, hosted by Reid and Smith after Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who initially organized it, was traded to the Buffalo Bills this offseason.
Their Chiefs teammates turned up at Legends Field, where the Kansas City Monarchs play, to show their support.
The likes of Louis Rees-Zammit – the former Wales rugby international – Drue Tranquill, Jaden Hicks and Spagnuolo turned up for the offense vs defense event.
Chiefs stars Justin Reid and Trey Smith went ahead with their charity softball event Thursday
Thompson pictured celebrating in Las Vegas when the Chiefs won the Super Bowl this year
It was announced on the night that $200,000 was raised with proceeds going to Reid and Smith’s respective foundations.
The charity event came after the team was forced to cancel their practice session on Thursday following Thompson’s scare. According to The Athletic, the Chiefs will practice Friday.
Thompson, 25, was a fifth-round draft pick by the Chiefs in 2023 from Stephen F. Austin university in Texas. He has played once for the team, against the Chargers in January – the final game of the regular season. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce missed that game, with a place in the playoffs already secured.
Last week, Thompson was part of the Chiefs team that visited the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl title with President Biden. He shared several pictures from the visit to his Instagram account and joked in the caption that the trip ‘got me feeling like the president.’
