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Audio From Gregg Popovich's 911 Call Has Been Released

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated May 25, 2025 9:30 AM ET

Severe health issues over the past few months have forced NBA legend Gregg Popovich to step down as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Judging by the newly-released audio of his most recent health emergency, it's probably for the best.

On Friday, TMZ Sports released the 911 call they obtained stemming from an emergency medical incident last month. Popovich reportedly collapsed at a Ruth's Chris Steak House in San Antonio.

During the call, an unidentified man asks for help when a restaurant guest appears to be "non-responding." The caller soon corrected himself, saying that the guest was "barely responding" and then a few moments later said that the man was responsive.

"Okay, he's responding now," the caller said. "He passed out for a little bit."

Gregg Popovich 911 Caller Said Coach 'Barely Responding' Amid April Emergency | Click to read more https://t.co/CmGm6HYpuG
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 23, 2025

Thankfully, emergency responders were able to reach Popovich and treat him. He was seen being stretchered off and taken to a nearby hospital.

Several weeks later though, Popovich announced that he would be stepping down as head coach after 29 seasons and transitioning to a front office role.

He was healthy enough to attend the introductory press conference of new head coach Mitch Johnson on May 5.

Popovich addressed questions about his health, stating that he was "getting better by the day" but not to the point where he felt comfortable returning to coaching on a full-time basis.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 07: Head coach Gregg Popovich of the 2021 USA Basketball Men's National Team attends a practice at the Mendenhall Center at UNLV as the team gets ready for the Tokyo Olympics on July 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Trouble for Popovich began in November when a mild stroke forced him to take an indefinite leave of absence from the team. The Spurs went on to finish 34-48, missing the NBA playoffs for the sixth year in a row.

Popovich retires as the NBA's all-time winningest coach and has more than 250 more wins than the next-highest winning coach (Doc Rivers). His 28 seasons as a head coach are also the second-most in NBA history after the legendary Lenny Wilkins. He also has the second-most games coached in both the regular season and the playoffs, along with the third-most playoff wins.

It's the end of an era for Spurs basketball, but thankfully the era didn't end in a far more tragic way.

We wish Popovich all the best as he continues his recovery from his ongoing health issues.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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