Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in 2015
Wednesday 13 March 2019 21:08, UK
The Kansas City Chiefs have released veteran safety and cancer survivor Eric Berry, who missed nearly all of last season with a mysterious heel injury.
The five-time Pro Bowl safety would have been guaranteed $7.25m (£5.4m) of his salary if he was on the roster this Friday.
Berry was a first-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2010 draft and was a legitimate star when he was healthy, though that became increasingly uncommon.
He missed most of one season with a torn knee ligament and most of another with a torn Achilles' tendon.
He also missed part of 2015 while he was undergoing treatment for cancer, which not only further endeared him to the Kansas City fan base but also to the NFL community at large.
The Chiefs have already moved on from several high-priced veterans, cutting Justin Houston and trading fellow linebacker Dee Ford to San Francisco. They also have agreed to a three-year contract with former Texans safety Tyrann Mathieu.
The Chiefs allowed a league-worst 425.6 yards and 35.3 points per game last campaign. The defense ultimately let down Kansas City when it mattered most, failing to get off the field in overtime in an AFC title game loss to the New England Patriots.