Eric Berry. What else can I say about this man? He’s the definition of a warrior and a guy that will give you 125 percent on the football field and he’s not taking his career for granted either. This is a man who was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2014 and he beat that and the following year, he came back and was awarded the NFL comeback player of the year award for the 2015 season. Despite the Kansas City Chiefs big win over the Patriots on the night when they raised another Super Bowl banner, the Chiefs saw their star safety go down and when that cart gets rolled out to the field, it’s never a good sign. He’s officially ruled out for the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles.
Eric Berry has become one of the best safeties in the NFL. He displays great range with the ability to stay with a receiver down the field on a vertical route. When you think of the definition of a “box safety”, Eric Berry will come to mind. He wants to get to the ball carrier each time he’s on that field. He’s got the speed to get to it and he has the endurance and strength to not only stick with receivers and bring them down, but he can cover tight ends and that’s always a difficult thing to do because of the mismatches that a tight end can create. After all, he did keep Rob Gronkowski in check all game long last night and held Tom Brady’s top target to a single catch and 16 yards receiving. When I think of a safety that can do it all, his name will always come up into the conversation.
Since beating cancer, he’s been named a first team all-pro selection the past two seasons and he’s become the heart and soul of the Kansas City Chiefs. Not just the defense, but the entire team and he’s inspiring his teammates and peers around the league. If he can overcome lymphoma, he can overcome a ruptured Achilles.
