KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Saturday, Vol for Life and former Kansas City Chief Eric Berry will be honored during Tennessee’s game against Texas A&M ahead of his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
From his days at Creekside High School in Fairburn, Georgia, it seemed Eric Berry was always destined for greatness.
“He's the best football player I've ever seen," Kevin Whitley, Berry's high school coach, said "He’s got size. He’s got speed. He’s got power, agility, smarts, knows the game. He’s the total package.”
Berry was considered the top cornerback in the country by many recruiting services and Rivals.com named him the number three player in the country.
After many scholarship offers, Berry chose to continue his football dreams at the University of Tennessee.
By the end of his first season as a Vol, Sporting News had named Berry SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year, and his five interceptions for 222 yards broke an almost four-decade old school record.
Still, Berry felt there was room for improvement in his game. He spent his off-season practicing with the Lady Vols soccer team to improve his footwork.
“Just trying to guard them while they were doing their offensive footwork stuff, trying to shake us and stuff," he said. "Just trying to stay in front of them, I realized it went hand in hand with football when trying to check a wide receiver. It paid dividends."
His unorthodox training paid off. As a sophomore, Berry was voted captain of the team, as well as SEC Defensive player of the year and an All-American.
In 2009, he was awarded the Jim Thorpe award, given to the best defensive back in college football.
At the end of his junior year, Berry declared his intention for the NFL draft.
He was drafted fifth overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2010 NFL draft and would spend a total of eight years with the Chiefs.
In 2014, however, Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer, after a mass was found in his chest.
Chiefs and Vols alike came together in support of Berry, and less than nine months after his diagnosis, Berry was declared clear of cancer and returned to full time play for the 2015 season.
His resilience won him the 2015 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Berry was released by the Chiefs in 2019. During his tenure, he was a 3-time First Team All-Pro and a 5-time Pro-Bowler.