Chiefs Confirm Eric Berry Won't Undergo Offseason Surgery for Heel Injury

Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry dealt with a nagging heel injury that caused him to miss all but three games in 2018, including the playoffs, but the injury is not severe enough to require offseason surgery.

Ahead of the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid met with reporters in Indianapolis and disclosed a status update on Berry, per Charles Goldman of USA Today's Chiefs Wire: 

"The assumption was that he'd have offseason surgery on what is reported a Haglund's Deformity in his right heel. Reid provided clarity on that situation and confirmed that Eric Berry would not be getting offseason surgery. Doctors did not recommend Berry have surgery to repair this seemingly recurring issue with his heel.

"Reid explained that the expectation for Eric Berry is to be healthy this summer and heading into the 2019 season. There is also an expectation that Berry remains a member of the Chiefs."

Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports corroborated Goldman's report and noted that "Berry expects to participate in all offseason activities." 

Berry has spent his entire nine-year NFL career in Kansas City after the Chiefs took him with the No. 5 overall pick in 2010.

In 89 games, including 87 starts, Berry has accumulated 14 interceptions, 448 total tackles (379 solo) and 5.5 sacks in his career. The 30-year-old three-time All-Pro has been impressive when on the field, but he has missed nearly three full seasons due to injuries and a Hodgkin lymphoma cancer diagnosis in December 2014.

Berry missed the majority of the 2011 season due to a torn ACL and nearly all of 2017 after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the Chiefs' season opener against the New England Patriots. 

The reported Haglund's deformity kept him out of action entirely in 2018 until Week 15. After playing on a snap count the last two games of the regular season and sitting out the divisional round, Berry played unrestricted in the Chiefs' AFC Championship Game matchup with the New England Patriots and contributed six total tackles (five solo).

CBS Sports' Joel Corry addressed what it means for the Chiefs now that Berry won't undergo surgery on his heel, saying that should Kansas City decide to cut Berry after June 1, it would only owe Berry his guaranteed $2.95 million 2019 base salary. He also expanded on what would happen if Berry were released after the June 1 deadline:

"The $9.55M is only with the use of a post-June 1 designation before another $7.25M of Eric Berry's 2019 base salary, which is currently guaranteed for injury, becomes fully guaranteed on March 15. Chiefs would need to be confident he could pass a physical."

Berry's currently entering the third year of his six-year, $78 million contract.