Atlanta Falcons rookie defensive tackle Anterio Thompson wrote this week on Instagram that he has a genetic mutation of his spinal cord and was told he would never play football again.
Thompson, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2026 draft, has been on the reserve/non-football injury list since training camp and has not been with the team since the spring. Before Thompson's post, no information about his injury had been released by either Thompson's camp or the Falcons.
When asked about Thompson on Friday, before the Instagram post circulated publicly, Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said he had no update. Technically, Thompson would be able to return this season from the reserve/non-football injury list, but now that seems moot.
Thompson and a representative did not respond to a request for comment from ESPN.
"Mentally, I've been better than anyone would be in my situation," Thompson wrote on Instagram. "I was told I would never play football again due to a genetic mutation in my spinal cord that I had no idea about."
Thompson added: "As a football player you know one day you'll have to hang up your cleats but you just hope it's on your own terms. It's hard to explain what it feels like to go through the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in the [sic] matter of seconds."
Thompson, 24, had 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for a loss at the University of Washington last season.