June 6, 2024, was no ordinary day for the Kansas City Chiefs. A typical special teams meeting turned tides when defensive lineman B.J. Thompson was rushed to the hospital. The 26-year-old went into cardiac arrest following a seizure. Now, nearly a year later, the 6’6″former fifth-round pick is just happy to still be around.
B.J. Thompson Shares Heartfelt Message on Birthday
The Stephen F. Austin alumnus took to Instagram, where he shared a message about turning 26 on March 23.
WHOLESOME: #Chiefs BJ Thompson celebrated turning 26 after surviving a seizure during a team meeting and went into cardiac arrest nearly dying.
“Almost lost my life at 25… Still blessed to see 26”
Truly one hell of a story ❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/Dtn264gogE
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 25, 2025
The seriousness of the situation is clear, and Thompson considers himself blessed to be around to this day. The event was traumatizing for him as well as other Chiefs team members. In fact, following the scare, practice was canceled altogether for Kansas City.
Thompson’s Football Career Before and After Tragedy
Thompson split his collegiate career between the Baylor Bears and the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. Beginning at Baylor in 2017, Thompson started in one game as a freshman while participating in nine. He recorded three tackles and a sack in his opening collegiate campaign.
The following year, Thompson took a step forward with the Bears. This time, he started in two games while playing in 10. His 2018 season saw him rank in the top five of various statistics for Baylor players. His four sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss were enough to rank him second and fourth on the team in their respective categories.
The native of England, Ark., then moved on from Baylor, where he became an instant leader with Stephen F. Austin. In 2020, Thompson registered 28 total tackles, six sacks, an interception, and forced a fumble.
In 2021, he produced another impressive season with the Western Athletic Conference squad. He accumulated 26 total tackles, 9.5 sacks, and forced two fumbles. After another strong campaign in 2022, Thompson’s résumé was enough that he was ready to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs selected Thompson 166th overall, adding to their already deep dynastic squad. In his rookie campaign, the 243-pound linemen played in just one game where he posted two solo tackles against divisional opponent, Los Angeles Chargers.
Since then, Thompson has yet to step on the field for another regular or postseason game. He is one of five defensive ends currently rostered by Kansas City. As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches and free agency remains in full swing, things may change. In the meantime, though, if Thompson returns to football, he will have a fighting chance to earn his spot on the greatest team of the 2020s thus far.