TENNESSEE VOLS FOOTBALL: Eric Berry was a rare athlete
· Yahoo Sports
Of the hundreds to call Philip Fulmer coach, Eric Berry breathes rare air.
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“Eric was the only player I had that started the first collegiate game of his career,” Fulmer said, a reminder of Berry’s breakout year that would set the tone for a decorated run at UT.
Berry began as a defensive back in 2007, finishing his freshman season with five interceptions and 222 interception return yards. His tally broke Tennessee’s single-season record for return yards previously held by Bobby Majors, and his inaugural year earned him freshman All-America honors.
As a sophomore, Berry led the SEC with seven interceptions and a staggering 265 interception return yards, dwarfing his previous season’s milestone and setting a new SEC single-season record.
Additionally, Berry broke both the UT and SEC record for career interception return yards by his second season’s end, with 487 yards (494 after his final season). He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, earned First Team All-SEC designation and was unanimously named First Team All-America.
In his final year of college play, Berry served as team captain, earned First-Team All-SEC honors again and was unanimously named First Team All-America for the second straight season, the only player in UT history to complete such a feat.
That year, Berry won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back, and was named Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Male Amateur Athlete of the Year.
Berry finished his Tennessee career with 245 tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, 14 interceptions, 31 passes defended, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He holds Tennessee’s record for career yards per interception, with 35.3 yards.
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Berry in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the No. 5 overall pick.
In 2011, he established the Eric Berry Foundation, offering safe environments, community outreach and mentorship to developing youth athletes. He overcame a 2014 Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2015, earned five Pro Bowl selections and was named a three-time first-team All-Pro.
Berry was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2023 and recognized as an SEC Legend in 2024.