On November 24, 2024, fans gathered eagerly around the railings at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, hoping for high-fives or souvenirs from players after the Chiefs-Panthers game.

A short clip shared online captures Chiefs players exiting the stadium as fans wave for their attention. The moment turned alarming when a young boy lost his footing and slipped over the edge of the elevated stands.

Wharton reacted instantly, lunging forward to catch the boy mid-fall, preventing a potentially dangerous headfirst impact. With the assistance of a security official, Wharton helped the child safely back onto the stands.

Prior to the boy’s fall, a clip showed a security guard attempting to keep him and other young boys away from the railings. The guard, visibly overwhelmed, tried to move them back while repeatedly warning them not to lean over the edge. He pleaded with them to stop pushing each other near the railing.

The boys ignored the guard’s warnings, leading to an incident that could have ended tragically if not for Wharton’s quick intervention. When he was interviewed about the incident on the “Pat McAfee Show,” Wharton said reaching out to catch the child was a “natural reaction” for him.

“Usually when I leave the game, you know, 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 see him coming down,[sic]” he narrated.

Wharton noted that there were two security guards but they were looking at them as they didn’t realize what was going on. “But I just had to kind of like push him into the stands a little bit to make sure he didn’t hit too hard,” he shared. The defense tackle added that he grabbed the boy by the back to prevent him from falling.

Wharton mentioned that he hasn’t had the opportunity to reconnect with the boy but expressed his desire to invite him to a game and share the experience.