Kansas City #Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s quick response helped BJ Thompson during a medical emergency at team facilities last Thursday. | @EdEastonJr
The unity of a team during uncertain moments, whether on the football field or in life, is essential. There is a care and concern for one another that can’t be measured, as was the case during BJ Thompson’s medical emergency at the Kansas City Chiefs training facility Thursday.
Chiefs Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder addressed the media after Friday’s practice to explain the traumatic situation and Thompson’s progress.
“BJ, when he had the seizure, (Harrison) Butker immediately ran towards the training room and grabbed Julie Frymyer and David Glover and grabbed me,” Burkholder told reporters. “We went into the room, and eventually, Tiffany Morton and Evan Craft came in; as well as this facility, we have a doctor’s office down the hall, and Dr. J.P. Darche from Kansas University Health System was there.
“He came up and assisted in 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. So our team of that group of people provided CPR for him. He had one AED shock and came back. So he was he was only in cardiac arrest for probably less than a minute, minute and a half.”
The Chiefs and every team in the league must practice life-saving procedures similar to those used for helping Thompson. Burkholder and the players reviewed the protocols on Monday of this week.
“(Thompson) was taken to KU Hospital, where he was heavily sedated yesterday through the night, and then he was brought out of the sedation this morning,” Burkholder explained. “He was on a ventilator overnight, just so he could breathe, because he was so heavily sedated that’s all out. He’s alert, he’s awake. He’s coming through quite well. We don’t have a diagnosis, and sometimes you don’t have that in medicine. He’s awake and alert and headed in the absolute right direction.”
Butker’s immediate response, highlighted in the special teams meeting, helped save precious time as Thompson efficiently got medical attention.
#Chiefs’ VP of Sports Medicine & Performance, Rick Burkholder, was enshrined in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame this offseason.
Congratulations are in order for our Head Athletic Trainer and VP of Sports Medicine & Performance, Rick Burkholder, on his induction into the National Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame! 👏 pic.twitter.com/oyJDWfZJSO
Entering his 11th season with the Chiefs in 2023, Burkholder has consistently been recognized as one of the top athletic trainers in the NFL. He’s spent over 20 seasons on Andy Reid’s staff spanning his tenures in Philadelphia and Kansas City. Before he joined the Eagles’ staff, Burkholder began his NFL career in athletic training as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers for six seasons.
In 2014, Burkholder was elected as President of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) for a three-year term. During his term, Burkholder made an outsized impact in fostering gender equality among the NFL’s athletic trainers and emphasized the importance of athletic trainers at all levels of football.
The NATA Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony took place at the 74th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana this week. There, Burkholder received an additional piece of jewelry to go along with his second Super Bowl ring.
This isn’t the only NATA honor that Burkholder has taken home during his career. In 2016, he earned the NATA Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. The following year, Burkholder received the NATA’s President’s Award, which signifies those who make an outstanding impact on the athletic trainer profession. He’s also previously taken home the NATA Athletic Training Service Award.
JuJu Smith-Schuster said he could barely walk after the AFC title game and if it weren’t for the #Chiefs’ training staff he wouldn’t have been able to play in Super Bowl LVII.
If you asked JuJu Smith-Schuster his chances of playing in Super Bowl LVII after the AFC Championship Game, his answer might have been bleak.
Smith-Schuster’s knee started acting up on him after Thursday’s practice ahead of their tilt with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was listed as a limited participant in practice during the ensuing Friday. During the course of the game, things got worse and Smith-Schuster left with a knee injury.
After the Super Bowl LVII, Smith-Schuster revealed just how much he was struggling with the injury. He told reporters that he put in 4-5 hours of extra work in the training room because he was unable to walk after the AFC title game.
Juju after the SB: “After the AFC Championship game I couldn’t walk and I came out here because I believed in my staff.” Mentioned he put 4-5 extra hours to make the dream of playing on a Super Bowl come true. #Chiefshttps://t.co/XxZ38EeAJH
Smith-Schuster’s quarterback even praised his effort in getting himself right for Super Bowl LVII.
“That man (JuJu Smith-Schuster) wasn’t missing that game,” Patrick Mahomes wrote. “Every time I walked in the training room he was in there working!!”
As for the man himself, Smith-Schuster gave immense praise and credit to Rick Burkholder, David Glover and the entire Chiefs training staff. Not only were they working around the clock to ensure that Mahomes was right on his high ankle sprain, but they also worked with Smith-Schuster, Kadarius Toney and countless others, to ensure that they’d be able to play and be effective in the big game.
Couldn’t have done it without the team, David Glover and @proatc. I’m so lucky to have a great team and staff helping me get out there. After the AFC title game, I didn’t think it would be possible but they made it happen. https://t.co/R8Ez0ZjeyA
Smith-Schuster didn’t think it was going to be possible for him to play. Not only did he play, but he caught 7-of-9 passes for 57 yards during the game. Five of those receptions went for first downs. As the fourth quarter winded down, Smith-Schuster’s knee held up enough that he was able to draw a holding penalty that helped set up Harrison Butker’s game-winning field goal.
None of that would be possible without two things:
The Chiefs’ training staff and the effort and energy they put into getting Smith-Schuster healthy for the game.
Smith-Schuster buying into the program. He believed that the trainers could get him right to play. As a result, he was able to make a huge impact during the biggest game of his career.
#Chiefs’ Rick Burkholder won NFLPS Oustanding Athletic Trainer of the Year & David Glover won PFATS 2022 Tim Davey AFC Assistant Athletic Trainer of the Year.
Two members of the Kansas City Chiefs athletic training staff have earned recognition for their tireless work during the 2021 NFL season.
Kansas City Chiefs VP of Sports Medicine and Performance, Rick Burkholder, was named the NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) Fain-Cain Memorial Award Oustanding Athletic Trainer of the Year at the NFLPS annual award ceremony on Wednesday evening. Burkholder also served as the team’s Infection Control Officer (ICO) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Congratulations to this year’s NFLPS Outstanding Athletic Trainer of the Year, Rick Burkholder @proatc VP of Sports Medicine and Performance of the Kansas City Chiefs @Chiefspic.twitter.com/elIofocElY
“One thing I’ve come to appreciate about Rick is his complex understanding of rehabilitation for the professional athlete,” Chiefs head orthopedic surgeon Dr. Paul Schroeppel said, via press release. “His ability to balance athlete safety and protection, the desires and competitive drive of the athlete, and utilization of contemporary rehabilitation techniques to expedite recovery and optimize outcomes has been impressive. His many rehab successes have been widely documented, from Rod Woodson to Terrell Owens to Patrick Mahomes.”
One of the most humbling nights of my career. Thank you to my amazing staff, my amazing docs and my family. To be awarded by the NFL Physician’s as the AT of the year has just floored me. So grateful and bless! @EricSugarATC pic.twitter.com/mA0ZW2tbMC
Burkholder first joined the Chiefs alongside Andy Reid in 2013 as head athletic trainer. He was promoted to his current position in 2018. He’s previously served as president of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS), an organization that handed out another award to a member of the Chiefs earlier this week.
Chiefs assistant athletic trainer, David Glover, won the 2022 Tim Davey AFC Assistant Athletic Trainer of the Year. Named after former Jets assistant athletic trainer Tim Davey (1969 to 1977), the award is handed out to those who represent an unyielding commitment, dedication and integrity in the profession of athletic training.
Burkholder presented the award to Glover, who has been with the Chiefs since 2012.
Proud @pfats_com Head AT moment as David Glover of @Chiefs is the 2022 Tim Davey AFC Assistant Athletic Trainer of the Year. I had the honor of presenting this award sponsored by @HenrySchein to the glue who holds us all together at Chiefs’ Medical. So proud of you Glove!
Athletic training can be a bit of a thankless job in the NFL, but their work doesn’t go unseen. The Chiefs were one of the healthiest teams in the NFL last season, so I encourage Chiefs Kingdom to congratulate both Burkholder and Glover for being recognized the best in their field.
According to a new report, Rick Burkholder was the staff member to test positive for COVID-19.
Earlier today the Kansas City Chiefs released a statement acknowledging that a staff member had tested positive for COVID-19.
A recent report from NFL Network has identified VP of Sports Medicine and Performance, Rick Burkholder, as the staff member to test positive for COVID-19. Burkholder also serves as is also the Chiefs’ appointed infection control officer. ICOs are in charge of oversight of everything related to the team’s COVID-19 measures and response. He holds that role in addition to his responsibilities taking care of injured players and working with the athletic training staff in Kansas City.
Bottom line: He’s an immensely important part of this football team and their operations on and off the football field.
#Chiefs VP of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder is the staff member who tested positive for COVID-19, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.
Athletic trainers are on the front lines in the NFL's fight against the virus and Burkholder is regarded as one of the best.
It’s unclear who will take on Burkholder’s responsibilities in his absence. Contact tracing is still ongoing and it’s unclear if this will impact any other staff members or players for the Chiefs.
The Chiefs entered the league’s COVID-19 protocols today after learning of Burkholder’s positive test. So far the upcoming game against the Panthers is still going forward as scheduled and we’ll keep you updated on that.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid teamed up with Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder to create a safer working environment.
The Kansas City Chiefs, along with every other team in the NFL, will be enduring a training camp unlike any the league has seen before. The global pandemic caused by COVID-19 has sports taking a backseat due to the significant health risks.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid teamed up with Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Rick Burkholder, who also serves as the Chiefs’ infectious control officer (ICO), to create a safer working environment. The duo spent nine weeks getting the Chiefs’ facility COVID-19 ready and in preparation for the first official weekend of training camp. Reid and Burkholder explained their plan to handle the virus throughout camp and beyond during Saturday’s press conference.
“I’d take it day-by-day,” said Reid. “I think we’re all doing that with this virus. We’ve learned that through the pandemic, things change and so we’re going to stick by what the experts tell us. I mentioned this before to you guys but the simple parts that we can do is wear a mask when needed, we can wash our hands after contact with people and make sure we use social distancing when we can. Those are important things that are base fundamentals with this, we’re going to do it. Then they’ve got the setup here, whether it’s plexiglass between lockers or all of the different things they’ve set up here with separation in meeting rooms and so on. We’re going to try to abide by that, we’re going to try to teach the best way we possibly can and then we’re going to trust the players and the coaches, I’m one of those, I’m included in this, that we do the right things when we leave here. That’s all you can do and then you go play. You focus in on playing.”
The NFL and NFL Players Association recently came to an agreement on sets of protocols to hold training camp during the pandemic. This agreement was pressured by star players protesting via social media using the #WeWantToPlay hashtag. The league was forced to reassess camp plans and eventually canceled preseason. Ultimately, the league anticipates positive tests, it’s how they respond to those positive tests that will be the difference according to Burkholder.
“Every team is going to have positive tests and we know that,” Burkholder said. “We are testing positive at 75,000 a day now [in the United States]. We know that. What we hope is we limit our positive tests and when we get a positive test, we act accordingly with the CDC to get those people isolated and get them healthy and safely back to work. There’s a protocol that would take me an hour to talk to you about because a lot of it is on an individual case basis. Whether it’s Patrick [Mahomes] or whether it’s me, we have to follow the guidelines if it’s a positive test with symptoms, days, antibodies, all of that kind of stuff to determine when it’s safe for them to come back to work. I think that the NFL will release that eventually, I just don’t think I’ve been cleared to release it. All of us who do health care for the NFL, the coaches, the general managers, we’ve asked the question about Fridays before games but right now we don’t have games, and that’s a good thing. They’re putting some protocols together as we get closer to game time. It’s not going to be normal. It’s not going to feel normal for anyone in this building because it is not normal. We’ve got to adjust. I’ll go back to the 2019 season because no team adjusted as well as the Kansas City Chiefs and
we’re going to adjust again. We’re going to get positives and take care of those guys so that when it is safe to come back to work, they will. We’re going to get positives within the staff, and we will take care of them and their families. . .”
Reid, of course, played a big role in the planning stages for the Chiefs as Burkholder helped him create structure during an uncertain time. This helped Reid take a lead role with the NFL as they worked with the NFLPA to solve outstanding issues ahead of training camp.
“You’ve really captured the motion of what Coach Reid is about and what I’m about with coach. There are two men in this world that I’d take a bullet for; one is my dad and the other one is Andy Reid,” Burkholder said. “He’s a father figure to me. He’s been awesome in this process, but he’s also been a big red-headed bear at times because of the unknown. He likes to lay things out. He has his schedule ready in May. We’re in July and it’s just being finalized today because we just got the schedule protocols. I feel like this was a chance for me to give back to Andy Reid. He’s given me so much and taught me how to be a good athletic trainer. I often feel like we are very close, but I walk into his office on Monday mornings with problems. This was the one time in my career where I actually could give him solutions. He was struggling with the unknown from the league and I was getting information earlier because it was all medical before they involved the coaches and the general managers, but then they started bringing Andy in. He knew what the questions were going to be in those meetings. He’d call me and we’d have some late-night conversations and we’d go through phantom schedules When it was all said and done, I asked how many schedules he had. He showed me on his iPad that he had 20 different schedules. Every time they would throw us a change in the protocol, he would make a change in his schedule. He’s got it pretty mastered.”
The appreciation for Reid has crossed over to the medical world as he continues to hear praise from many around the league. The Chiefs along with the Texans get the first crack at the new NFL approved pandemic training camp ahead of their opening night matchup scheduled for September 10th.
