Pro Bowl Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry will miss the remainder of the season after he was placed on the NFI (non-football injury) list on Monday afternoon.
Surprise of the day: Chiefs put S Eric Berry on NFI – no -football Illness, which means he is out for the year, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 24, 2014
While this is a major blow to the Chiefs on the field, the concern here has to be with Berry.
The reports out of Kansas City are alarming.
Trainer Rick Burkholder: Eric Berry has chest discomfort after Oakland game.
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) November 24, 2014
MRI showed mass in his chest
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) November 24, 2014
No definitely diagnosis. But Chiefs think its lymphoma
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) November 24, 2014
And Schefter confirmed Teicher’s report.
Chiefs announced S Eric Berry will visit a lymphoma specialist in Atlanta to see if doctor can figure out what the mass in his chest is.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 24, 2014
Here is a statement from Berry (Via KCChiefs.com).
“I am truly thankful for all of the support from family, friends, coaches, teammates and the entire Chiefs kingdom. At first I was in shock with the diagnosis on Saturday and did not even want to miss a game, but I understand that right now I have to concentrate on a new opponent. I have great confidence in the doctors and the plan they are going to put in place for me to win this fight. I believe that I am in God’s hands and I have great peace in that. I know my coaches and teammates will hold things down here the rest of the season and until I am back running out of the tunnel at Arrowhead. I am so thankful and appreciative of being a part of this franchise and playing in front of the best fans in the NFL. I will be back!
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Berry, his friends and family and the entire Chiefs organization.
Let’s all hope that the specialists in Atlanta can get this thing figured out. It’s about so much more than football at this point.
Photo: USA Today