Harrison Butker ‘Immediately Ran’ for Help After BJ Thompson Began Seizing, Chiefs Say

“Harrison’s that guy, he loves all of us and we’re a family,” Chiefs safety Justin Reid said of Butker’s quick action

The Kansas City Chiefs say kicker Harrison Butker sprung into action when his teammate, BJ Thompson, began seizing during a team meeting on Thursday, June 6.

While providing an update on Thompson’s condition during a press conference on Friday, Chiefs Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder said, “When he had the seizure, Butker immediately ran towards the training room” and grabbed additional assistance from team staff.

“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 shared.

Thompson received an automated external defibrillator (AED) shock, according to Burkholder, and was only in cardiac arrest for roughly a minute.

Chiefs safety Justin Reid also spoke to media during Friday’s conference, saying Butker is “that guy” when it comes to his teammates.

“Harrison’s that guy, he loves all of us and we’re a family,” Reid said, adding, “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 sports medicine VP commended Chiefs players, security staff, coaching staff and additional employees for their assistance, calling them “phenomenal in handling the crisis” at the facility.

“They had it under control,” head coach Andy Reid added later of the medical team’s response.

Burkholder said Thompson was then taken into the care of the Kansas City Fire Department and paramedics before being admitted to the University of Kansas Health System hospital, where he was “heavily sedated yesterday through the night” and on a ventilator.

Thompson was brought “out of the sedation” on Friday morning, according to Burkholder, who confirmed that there is “no diagnosis” available yet.

The defensive lineman is reportedly “coming through quite well,” and “headed in the absolute right direction,” Burkholder added during the presser.

Butker, meanwhile, made headlines this offseason for a controversial commencement speech he made during Benedictine College’s graduation ceremony on May 11.

Taking aim at “diabolical lies told to women” including abortion, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy, Butker also described LGBTQ+ Pride month as “deadly sins” and spoke down to the female graduates in the room.

The NFL, the nuns of Benedictine College and many notable figures called the kicker out for his views.

And while teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce said they disagreed with some of Butker’s comments in the speech, both Chiefs stars said he is a “great teammate and great person” following the backlash.