Chiefs GM: Eric Berry's battle with cancer going well

[thabear04]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...cer-going-well

Eric Berry's battle with Hodgkin lymphoma is going well, according to Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey.


"Well, anybody who knows Eric Berry knows that if there's a challenge presented to him, he will attack it with a vengeance," Dorsey told Sirius XM NFL Radio on Tuesday. "And he will do that. Everything that I have gotten back has been very positive. I have not spoken with him on the phone for probably six weeks, but I have texts. We communicated through texts. He's in good spirits, he's fine, he's driving, and he's going to conquer it."

Dorsey added that Berry is able to drive again, per host Alex Marvez.

The 26-year-old was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in December and while it's a treatable disease, his promising NFL career has been put on the back burner.

The general manager didn't give any football update on the safety, but that isn't a surprise. Berry's battle lies off the field and he has the clear support of the Chiefs franchise, which did not cut him this offseason just to save a couple of dollars.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

But this doesn't even make any sense. By putting him on the NFI list, how are the Chiefs not "taking care of him"?

My wife's company billed over $12 billion in 2012. They didn't pay her salary when she was diagnosed with cancer.

They likely will put him on the NFI list. There's still a lot of time left. I highly doubt they pay him his full salary and have never assumed they have.

Yes, i understand most business's won't pay for an employee that can't work. So when one does, kudos to them.

As i said, i simply don't care what the Chiefs do with their money, it's not going to get them any closer to a championship regardless.

[kysirsoze]

I wouldn't be mad if they just pay him, but I can't understand how some in this thread think it's the only right way to go about this. Complete emotional overload. Berry is one of my favorite current Chiefs, but whatever the team needs to do in regards to the cap, I'm cool with. Eric will be fine. (financially and hopefully medically)

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

But again, this makes no sense to make the team LESS COMPETITIVE because Eric Berry has cancer.

Seriously Dude, this is some Johnny Cochran shit you're spewing.

Originally Posted by BossChief

Would you be saying the same thing if this was about Alex Smith? Or is this mostly because of the emotional investment in this specific player?

I love Eric Berry as much as anyone, but this is a business and I'm sure Eric of all people understands that.

After all, he has made as much as he has at his age because ITS A BUSINESS.

To some of you it's a business.

To me it's a form of entertainment.

I would say the same thing about any player, simply for the fact that i just dont care what billionaires do with their money.

If Clark Hunt wants to pay Berry because he feels it's the right thing to do, then so be it.

At the end of the day though, i believe berry's salary will be cut and he'll be on the NFI list.

[BossChief]

I wonder if there is anything against the rules if the Chiefs were to NFI him and pay him as a spokesperson for cancer awareness or something...

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

To some of you it's a business.

To me it's a form of entertainment.

I would say the same thing about any player, simply for the fact that i just dont care what billionaires do with their money.

If Clark Hunt wants to pay Berry because he feels it's the right thing to do, then so be it.

At the end of the day though, i believe berry's salary will be cut and he'll be on the NFI list.

Clark Hunt can compensate Berry in other ways, such as hiring him to do P.R. or in the front office or sign him to a personal services contract and so on.

I don't think that anyone is advocating that the Chiefs turn their back on Berry. But the fact is that he has a non-football illness and the Chiefs can most certainly use the $5 million in cap space. Also, I find it very unlikely that a player of Berry's status and contract doesn't have disability insurance, which would likely pay at least 80%, if not 100% of his salary.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Clark Hunt can compensate Berry in other ways, such as hiring him to do P.R. or in the front office or sign him to a personal services contract and so on.

I don't think that anyone is advocating that the Chiefs turn their back on Berry. But the fact is that he has a non-football illness and the Chiefs can most certainly use the $5 million in cap space. Also, I find it very unlikely that a player of Berry's status and contract doesn't have disability insurance, which would likely pay at least 80%, if not 100% of his salary.

Plus, I'm sure the health insurance fully covers the cost of the cancer treatments. Shit....the Bengals kept Still on and it covered his daughter's treatments.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by BossChief

I wonder if there is anything against the rules if the Chiefs were to NFI him and pay him as a spokesperson for cancer awareness or something...

I would think that they'd have to cut him from the roster, then hire him back in some capacity, that is, if he's willing and able to work.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by splatbass

A lot of bad things happen every day using the excuse "it's a business". It's a BILLION DOLLAR business that can afford to pay a guy that has given the team so much.

They've paid him, and paid him handsomely. I'm sure Berry would agree with that, and if the team is forced to move on without him, he would understand that too. I have no doubt the team will deal with him fairly. But as far as salary goes, you can't throw away a limited commodity and advancement opportunity in the form of wasted cap space out of sentimentality if it is doubtful the guy is coming back.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

I can't understand how some

Is this ever elusive 'some' like the Yeti? Nessie?

[DaneMcCloud]

FWIW, the Texans put David Quessenberry on the NFI last season once it was discovered that he has non-Hodkins lymphoma and he was only a 6th round pick.

[BossChief]

The Chiefs put Berry on the list last year.

[kysirsoze]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Is this ever elusive 'some' like the Yeti? Nessie?

You're right. No one in this thread is opposed to a Berry pay cut. None in other Berry threads either. Just pages of people agreeing. Sorry to instigate.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

As i said, i simply don't care what the Chiefs do with their money, it's not going to get them any closer to a championship regardless.

How do you figure?

Free up $5 million in cap space and if nothing else it rolls into 2016 and can be used to extend Poe, retain Houston....all kinds of fun stuff.

Unless you're just a complete fatalist and believe that the Chiefs are just multiplying by zero there, it absolutely does get us closer to a championship.

Then again, the board has plenty of complete fatalists so maybe that's the problem.

[O.city]

Alex smith makes people complete fatalist. I like that word.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by kysirsoze

You're right. No one in this thread is opposed to a Berry pay cut. None in other Berry threads either. Just pages of people agreeing. Sorry to instigate.

You were differentiating between those who were OK with KC's decision [plenty], and those who were adamant he not lose a cent no matter what [not so much].