CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After quite possibly sparing a child’s life on Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton has invited the young fan to a game.
Wharton caught the child after he fell headfirst from the Bank of America Stadium stands following the Chiefs’ 30-27 victory against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Wharton said he had not had an opportunity to meet the child, but “would like to reach out to him, get him out to a game, and be able to reflect with him a little bit more, if I could.”
A video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, shows the young fan leaning over the edge of the stands at Bank of America Stadium to call to the Chiefs players departing the field following Sunday’s game. The child loses his footing before falling headfirst from the stands, which are roughly 10 feet above the earth.
The footage shows Wharton evidently catching the child, before lifting him back up into the stands.
It is not obvious from the video whether a railing gave way, or whether the particular area that the young fan was leaning over was not covered by a fence. A second video, apparently captured before the fall, shows a security guard attempting to hold a child back while shouting: “You can’t lean over here!”
A stadium spokesperson told CNN Sport: “We are aware of the incident that took place involving a fan following the game on Sunday. The safety and security of all our patrons are of the utmost significance to us. After every game, we evaluate all stadium processes, and this incidence will be included in that review.”
“It was a natural reaction,” the 26-year-old told McAfee about catching the infant. “Usually, when I leave the game, I try to throw my gloves in the crowd, and I think I heard my name a little bit. And when I heard my name, I seen him coming down.
“There was two security guards there. I don’t suppose they realized what I was doing because they were looking at us. But I just had to kind of, like, push him into the stands a little bit to make sure he didn’t strike too hard,” he continued.
“I kind of grabbed him right by the back of his back, and kind of pushed him into the stands a little bit more.”
The incident has garnered criticism from across football and social media. Speaking on his New Heights podcast, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said: “I actually saw this, and I just kept it moving. I felt terrible after once I found out.”
“I don’t know who the brainiac was to cut the railing right there. You see how there’s that little gap? What the f**k is that for?” he proceeded.
“Dude, he should f**king go to school with a neck brace on and sue the f**king Panthers. Get rich fast, kid.”
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