The Chiefs defensive lineman is recovering after he suffered a seizure and went into cardiac arrest at the team’s facility

BJ Thompson is “awake” and “alert” after the defensive lineman experienced a medical emergency at the team’s facility on Thursday, June 6, the Kansas City Chiefs confirmed on Friday.

Rick Burkholder, the Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance for the team, updated reporters on Thompson’s health during a live press conference on June 7, saying, “He’s alert, he’s awake. He’s coming through quite well.”

“He’s coming through quite well. We don’t have a diagnosis and in medicine sometimes you dont have that,” he continued, adding that Thompson is “headed in the absolute right direction.”

Just prior to the conference, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network shared a “positive” update from 25-year-old Thompson’s agent, Chris Turnage, confirming that the Chiefs player has woken up.

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Pelissero wrote, “A positive update: #Chiefs DE BJ Thompson is awake and responsive, according to his agent, Chris Turnage.”

Pelissero added, “One day after Thompson suffered a seizure and went into cardiac arrest during a special teams meeting, the second-year pro’s prognosis is good.”

The NFL Network reporter was the first to confirm that Thompson was the player who suffered the medical emergency on Thursday.

Later that evening, Thompson’s agent told Pelissero he was still “unconscious” while at the hospital. “BJ is still unconscious at this point, but he’s stable and vitals are good. His family asks for your continued prayers,” the statement from Turnage said at the time.

According to Pelissero’s initial report, multiple sources said that the Chiefs’ medical staff “immediately” responded to the emergency when Thompson began seizing during a “special teams meeting” at the practice facility.

The Chiefs media availability originally scheduled for Thursday, featuring head coach Andy Reid and select players, has been pushed to Friday, June 7, according to a statement on NFL.com.

Thompson’s medical emergency comes less than a week after the backup lineman joined teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce during the Chiefs’ visit to the White House on May 31.

Thompson shared pictures from inside the Washington D.C. landmark and wrote, “Posted at the White House got me feeling like the president,” in his caption.

Currently, the Chiefs are in OTA offseason practices, which include drills but no contact plays, and will begin their mandatory minicamp on June 11 through June 13, according to CBS.

Thompson was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and has played in one game for the NFL’s back-to-back champs.