Chiefs defensive end Tershawn Wharton broke his silence Tuesday after catching a Kansas City fan who had fallen from the stands following the team’s win over the Carolina Panthers last weekend.
Wharton said it was a “natural reaction” to catching the unidentified fan.
As Wharton left the field at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, he took off his gloves to offer them to the young fan in question as disaster was about to strike.
The child, dressed in a Nick Bolton jersey, reached out to take the gloves of one of his heroes when he appeared to trip and fall head-first over the edge of the stand.
Luckily, Wharton was nearby and appeared to grab the boy and help him back into the stand.
“It was a natural reaction. Usually when I leave a match I try to throw my gloves into the crowd. I heard my name a little and then I saw him coming down. There were two security guards there but I don’t think they realized what I was doing because they were watching us but I just had to push him a little into the stands so he wouldn’t hit too strong.
Chiefs defensive end Tershawn Wharton was the hero of the moment in Carolina on Sunday
A fan fell out of the stands and attempted to grab Wharton’s glove after the game.
“I kind of grabbed him just by the back of his back and pushed him a little bit more into the stands.
“I haven’t (talked) to him but I would like to contact him and bring him to a game and be able to brainstorm with him a little more if I could.”
Wharton’s teammate, Carson Steele, can also be seen carrying the boy back into the stands unharmed after the fall.
Due to the angle of the video, the exact moment Wharton grabbed the boy is unclear. What is intact is that the boy did not appear injured after leaving the stands head first.
The child was able to fall from the stadium’s lower bowl and almost onto the turf, with a small portion of the front row having no railing for protection.
A stadium security guard stood next to the boy hoping to get Wharton’s gloves, but failed to catch it or prevent it from falling into Wharton’s hands.
