Chiefs release former All-Pro safety Eric Berry

Eric Berry's time in Kansas City has come to an end.

The Chiefs on Wednesday announced the release of Berry, who had been a member of the team since entering the league as the fifth overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft.

"On behalf of my family and the entire Chiefs organization, I want to thank Eric for his many contributions to the Chiefs over the last nine seasons," Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement. "Eric has been a tremendous leader for our football team and an inspiration to so many fans over the years, and we sincerely appreciate all that he has meant to the Chiefs. He will always be an important part of our Chiefs family, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future."

Berry enjoyed tremendous success in Kansas City, where he became a three-time All-Pro selection and five-time Pro Bowler.

He also provided inspiration when he battled back from Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2014 and returned healthy in 2015 to earn his second All-Pro selection and fourth Pro Bowl appearance as a key member of the Chiefs' defense.

Injuries, however, took a toll on the 30-year-old Berry over the past two seasons. A ruptured Achilles in 2017 and a nagging heel injury in 2018 limited the safety to just three regular-season games over that span.

On his career, Berry has appeared in 89 games with 87 starts, totaling 448 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 14 interceptions and 51 passes defensed and has established himself as one of the Chiefs' all-time defensive greats on and off the field, where he was actively involved in community events.

"I'd like to thank Eric for his contributions to our team and the Kansas City community over the last nine years," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "Seeing his passion and watching his love for the game has been truly remarkable. He's a special person, and we wish him the best as his career moves forward."

Meanwhile, the Chiefs are set to add free safety Tyrann Mathieu on a three-year contract, and also have safeties Daniel Sorensen and Eric Murray on the roster.

But the release of Berry caps off the end of an era in Kansas City on the defensive side of the ball when considering the Chiefs also parted ways with outside linebacker Justin Houston and traded outside linebacker Dee Ford to the San Francisco 49ers.