Kansas City Chiefs player Tershawn Wharton is being applauded for saving a young fan, according to video and comments posted to X.
One viral video has had more than 700,000 views on the social media platform since it was posted on November 24. Be forewarned that the video contains expletives. The video shows the young boy reaching over the side of the railing as Wharton walks nearby. The child is then seen tumbling forward, where he was caught by the player.
“Best catch by a Kansas City Chief ever. Go Chiefs!!! That little guy needs an Autographed Jersey from his favorite Chief!! Super Bowl Bound once again. We Love our Chiefs!!!!” a fan wrote on X. According to ESPN, the child “lost his footing and slipped over the edge of the elevated stands.”
Another video shows a man saying “You can’t lean over here” and trying to stop the fan from getting too close to the railing.
Sports Illustrated described Wharton’s action as heroic.
Fans Praised Tershawn Wharton for Catching the Boy
Getty Tershawn Wharton #98 of the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the comment thread on X, more fans also praised Wharton for his quick action. “Amazing catch to save the child’s life. Bless Wharton,” wrote one person.
“Tershawn Wharton For the Save and for the Win!” another person wrote.
“My guy Tershawn Wharton with the play of the day 💪” another fan wrote.
According to The New York Post, the incident occurred at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Sports Illustrated reported that the players were walking to the locker room when the boy fell. SI reported that Wharton had two tackles in the Chiefs’ victory during the game itself.
Tershawn Wharton Said He Made Sure the Child ‘Didn’t Hit Too Hard’
Getty Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton.
Wharton opened up about what happened on the Pat McAfee show.
He was asked what he was thinking when he saw the child falling.
“Usually when I leave a game, 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. It was two security guards right there, I don’t think they realized what I was doing because they were looking at us but I just had to kinda like push him into the stands a little bit to make sure he didn’t hit too hard,” Wharton said on the show.
Wharton said on the show that it was a “natural reaction” on his part to catch the child.
Asked whether it was a one-handed grab, he said, “I kind of grabbed him right by the back of his back and pushed him into the stands a little bit more,” at which point McAfee declared that Wharton’s action was “awesome.”
The boy was not identified.
“Not all Heroes wear capes! Some wear Chiefs gear! Thank you for protecting that kid from a bad fall Tershawn!” a fan wrote on X along with a share of the video.
“Thank God 98 was paying attention at the time,” another person wrote on X.
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Kansas City Chiefs Player Saves Falling Fan in Dramatic Video