The Kansas City Chiefs narrowly won, 29-28, in Georgia Sunday in the home of the Atlanta Falcons. Safety Eric Berry had an incredible performance and helped contribute by adding eight points to the Chiefs’ score.
But first of all, Berry entered Sunday’s game a bit emotional. He was returning to his home state for his first NFL game ever played in Atlanta.
After his superior “Pick-Six, Pick-Two” performance, Berry admitted that he “shed a few tears before the game, I shed a few during the game and I shed a few after,” per Adam Teicher of of ESPN.
The last time Berry was in Georgia it was to receive treatments for lymphoma.
“The last time I came home during the season, it was to get chemotherapy and then this time it was actually to play the game,” Berry said of the reasons for his emotions on Sunday. “I was just thankful for the opportunity. I take pride in a lot of things people take for granted so when opportunities come my way I cherish them and try to make the most of them.”
Berry made some amazing plays when he intercepted Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan not once but two times. First, he managed a fourth-quarter interception and returned it for a 37-yard touchdown. Berry walked over after the play and gave the ball to his mom who was watching from the Chiefs’ sideline (watch here).
If that was not sweet enough, Berry then picked off another pass late in the game on a two-point conversion Atlanta attempted. The ball was returned 100 yards by Berry for a Chiefs’ two-point score (watch here).
The ball Berry gave his mom was just simply a small thank-you gesture for all of the support he has received from his parents.
“So many nights I was crying on their shoulder trying to make sense of everything that was going on and they just kept telling me, ‘Keep pressing and keep pressing and you’ll be back, you’ll be able to play the game the way you want to play the game.”
Berry is enjoying a spectacular seventh season of his career. He has three interceptions this year, with two having been returned for touchdowns. The Chiefs are 9-3 and in second place in the AFC West.