Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry is not practicing Wednesday, the second day of work as the team prepares to take on the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday afternoon in the AFC’s divisional round.
Berry missed practice on Friday, December 28, before he was eventually held out of the Chiefs’ final game of the season against the Oakland Raiders. Berry practiced limitedly to start this week on Tuesday, which many felt was a good sign, but he could not participate on Wednesday as he deals with his lingering heel injury.
“It’s difficult from the standpoint of he’s a real critical part of our team,” defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said when asked about the uncertainty surrounding the three-time All-Pro. “He’s an outstanding player. He’s one of our true leaders, the guys rally around him, so I think that part is always hard. You get caught up in different things in the season. But also, if you stick back for a second, you say, ‘Man, this is really hard on this guy, too, as a player. This is something he loves to do. He’s been really good at it, and as difficult as it is on us as a defensive unit or us as a team, I think for him, it’s really challenging.’
“So it’s just what it is. There’s not a lot you can do about it, and every week we’ve got our fingers crossed and hope that he can make it back and go. It’s truly—I know you guys get tired of hearing this—it really is a day to day to day thing here right now, the way it’s playing out. You just got to stay in there and go and figure out how to get other guys ready in case he can’t go.”
Berry was originally held out of the Chiefs’ first 13 games with what the team described as a sore heel, though reports, which have never been confirmed (nor denied) said Berry has what is called a “Haglund’s deformity.”
Berry eventually returned to the lineup to play 30 snaps Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers and played 69 snaps Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks before what has appeared to be some sort of setback.
Sutton was asked Wednesday about who would replace Berry and linebacker Dorian O’Daniel, who hasn’t practiced at all this week, if they couldn’t play against the Colts.
Without Berry in a must-win game against the Raiders when it came to playoff home-field advantage, the safety snap count breakdown was as follows: Daniel Sorensen (63), Eric Murray (33), Jordan Lucas (32) and Ron Parker (6).
In the above breakdown, it is important to note that Sorensen and Lucas earned the start. Lucas suffered a stinger, and the Chiefs eventually removed starters in a 35-3 blowout.
It remains to be seen who the Chiefs start against the Colts if Berry cannot play once again.
A note on Dorian O’Daniel
#Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub on LB Dorian O’Daniel, who has missed two practices this week: “He’s a four-phase starter for us. He’s an important guy, so we’re keeping an eye on that one, pretty close.”
“I wouldn’t tell you,” he initially said with a smile. “We have to work guys in, obviously, and just see where guys are. The one good thing is you’re at the point of the season where if you do have to miss some reps and you get better toward to the end of the week, this is probably the time to do it. We just have to kind of roll guys through, which we try to do, anyway, but when you have a guy in question, you have to say, ‘OK,’ because that usually affects somebody else.
“Sometimes that affects special teams ... It’s going to affect Dave (Toub) and what he’s putting together, so you got to kind of stay on top of that as a total staff, too. But we just got to slide and we’ve got some different options, but we kind of have to wait and see where it’s at.” [Reply]
@AdamSchefter: Eric Berry said his spirit is good to play on Saturday. His spirit, I’m told, is still day to day. #chiefskingdom #spirit #haglunds #frankgallagher #paidtosit [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Pest: How do you know that there aren't players that maybe are upset with Berry for not playing? You talking in absolutes is just as retarded as anybody else doing it.
I think it's an absurd thought process and no my belief is not retarded. Players back other players 99.999% of the time and we aren't talking about Matt Cassel, we are talking about a 3 time All Pro who has come back from multiple injuries and Cancer.
I'm not the dumbass here, I assure you of that. [Reply]
Seems like Berry has an actual problem in his heel and may be refusing "pain relief" to allow him to play. Meaning, doesn't want to take the needle. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Marcellus: I think it's an absurd thought process and no my belief is not retarded. Players back other players 99.999% of the time and we aren't talking about Matt Cassel, we are talking about a 3 time All Pro who has come back from multiple injuries and Cancer.
I'm not the dumbass here, I assure you of that.
Says everyone who's ever had an opinion......in the history of time. [Reply]
In reality could some of those guys be annoyed at Berry? Yea absolutely, some of the older players who may be coming to the end or a fringe guy who thinks this is his only shot...
Just they're not dumb enough to say it to a reporter. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
Play Berry until he snaps.
Then throw him in the dumpster.
I don't fucking care anymore. I'm done. He's not a part of the team. He hasn't been for two seasons. He's not coming back or playing like the guy we paid.
So just use what's left of him and be done.
Perfectly stated. I'm way past sick of this shit. Professional thieves are in awe of how much of Clark's money Berry has stolen. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
Play Berry until he snaps.
Then throw him in the dumpster.
I don't ****ing care anymore. I'm done. He's not a part of the team. He hasn't been for two seasons. He's not coming back or playing like the guy we paid.
So just use what's left of him and be done.
SMH it's almost as if some folks don't look at these players as HUMAN BEINGS!!!...just like the "good old days" :-) [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Pest:
Says everyone who's ever had an opinion......in the history of time.
I assume you have twitter? Do you follow any of the Chiefs beat writers or anyone who covers the Chiefs for the Athletic or ESPN or any other media outlet?
Have you seen their comments and opinions on all of this? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Marcellus:
I assume you have twitter? Do you follow any of the Chiefs beat writers or anyone who covers the Chiefs for the Athletic or ESPN or any other media outlet?
Have you seen their comments and opinions on all of this?
Sure...because I'm sure Chiefs beat writers are going to publicly call out a cancer survivor if his "spirit" isn't into playing that week. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tyton75:
Seems like Berry has an actual problem in his heel and may be refusing "pain relief" to allow him to play. Meaning, doesn't want to take the needle.
I think the shot that would help him weakens the Achilles. [Reply]
Who outside of Antonio Brown or Le'Veon Bell have been called out for not playing through an injury? And Bell wasn't even called out because of an injury. He was called out because he chose to hold out. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Pest:
Who outside of Antonio Brown or Le'Veon Bell have been called out for not playing through an injury? And Bell wasn't even called out because of an injury. He was called out because he chose to hold out.
I just asked Mellinger his thoughts on this and whether he thinks any players have hard feelings over Berry not playing. :-) It will just be his opinion of course but I would guess he knows more than us. Ill report back if he says nothing of interest but I doubt he does.
Also its been pointed out Berry took his approach to the contract negotiations because the team didn't even offer him a contract after his rookie deal and franchised him without an offer and he played that year on the tag. At an All Pro level I might add. They could have gotten him cheaper the year before and been a year farther down the road on the contract.
Originally Posted by The Pest:
Sure...because I'm sure Chiefs beat writers are going to publicly call out a cancer survivor if his "spirit" isn't into playing that week.
They have been adamantly defending him which they have no reason to do. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Marcellus:
I just asked Mellinger his thoughts on this and whether he thinks any players have hard feelings over Berry not playing. :-) It will just be his opinion of course but I would guess he knows more than us. Ill report back if he says nothing of interest but I doubt he does.
Also its been pointed out Berry took his approach to the contract negotiations because the team didn't even offer him a contract after his rookie deal and franchised him without an offer and he played that year on the tag. At an All Pro level I might add. They could have gotten him cheaper the year before and been a year farther down the road on the contract.
