Chiefs’ Berry placed on non-football injury list after mass discovered

A mass was discovered on the chest of Kansas Chiefs safety Eric Berry, and the team’s trainer said it could be lymphoma, the team announced Monday.

Berry was put on the Chiefs’ non-football injury list on Monday and will not play in Sunday night’s home game against Denver.

No diagnosis has been made, but head trainer Rick Burkholder said the “leading consideration” for what Berry has is lymphoma.

Berry is scheduled to visit a lymphoma specialist at Emory University in Atlanta.

The mass was discovered following Thursday night’s game against the Oakland Raiders.

Berry experienced pain during the game, and a series of tests performed in Oakland and Kansas City revealed the mass.

Berry released a statement through the team.

“I am truly thankful for all of the support from family, friends, coaches, teammates and the entire Chiefs kingdom,” Berry said. “At first I was in shock with the diagnosis on Saturday and did not even want to miss a game, but I understand that right now I have to concentrate on a new opponent.

“I have great confidence in the doctors and the plan they are going to put in place for me to win this fight. I believe that I am in God’s hands and I have great peace in that.

“I know my coaches and teammates will hold things down here the rest of the season and until I am back running out of the tunnel at Arrowhead. I am so thankful and appreciative of being a part of this franchise and playing in front of the best fans in the NFL. I will be back!”