There are few things in the world that can bring people together as much as sports.
Following the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Steelers running back James Conner and Chiefs safety Eric Berry embraced each other. This was more than a showing of mutual respect between the two combatants, this was an acknowledgment of an even greater similarity between the two athletes.
Berry and Conner both are cancer survivors.
Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December of 2014 that would force him to miss the remainder of that season. But just seven months later, he was declared cancer-free and was ready for the start of the 2015 NFL season.
Berry would go on to earn the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2015 to go along with All-Pro honors in that season, as well as the 2016 campaign.
Conner was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2015 during his junior year at the University of Pittsburgh. Throughout his battle, Conner still would attend practices and even work out. After 12 chemotherapy treatments, Conner announced in May 2016 that he beat cancer and would go on to rush for 1,062 yards and 19 touchdowns during his final season at Pitt before being drafted by his hometown Steelers in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
Conner has been receiving ample playing time in Le’Veon Bell’s absence, and hasn’t disappointed, scoring the first three touchdowns of his NFL career and putting up 257 all-purpose yards to go along with a league-leading 49 touches.
