Former Vol returns to field after battle with cancer

One of the NFL’s best defenders returns to the field Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Houston Texans.

A lot of eyes will be on this game, not just in Knoxville, but around the league. And with the start of the NFL season comes the end of focus on deflated footballs. Instead of discussions about what commissioner Roger Goodell failed to do this time or which players are having off the field issues, this week there is something positive that should be getting much of the attention.

That positive will be the return of former Tennessee great and current Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry to the field for the first time in 2015 after the long road he’s taken to come back.

Berry had his 2014 season cut short when he learned that he had a form of cancer known as Hodgkin’s lymphoma back in November. When he heard the news he only knew one way to go about dealing with it, and it was the same way he deals with offensive players on the football field: Accept the diagnosis and fight it head on.

After several months of chemotherapy fighting the cancer, he got the good news from doctors on June 22 that he was cancer free. A month later Berry returned to practice with his team.

Now, after a long journey, Berry is ready to compete. And everyone around the NFL is anticipating the return of No. 29 to the gridiron Sunday.

Featured Image by Joel Kramer. Courtesy of creativecommons.org.

Edited by Cody McClure