After almost two weeks of testing at Emory University, Kansas City Chiefs player Eric Berry has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This type of cancer occurs in only about eight percent of Lymphoma patients, and according to the Associated Press, is a “very treatable and potentially curable form of the cancer” with above an 80 percent survival rate. Berry will begin chemotherapy immediately, but Dr. Christopher Flowers, director of the lymphoma clinic at Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, gave no timeline for Berry’s recovery.

It all started in the wake of the Kansas City Chiefs’ painful Thursday night loss to the Oakland Raiders two weeks ago. But one Chiefs player was hurting more than the rest.

During the final plays of the game, safety Eric Berry notified trainers that he felt tightness and discomfort in his chest. The following day Berry was given an MRI which found a mass in the right side of his chest. Preliminary tests pointed toward lymphoma, but the Chiefs’ medical staff wanted to be sure.

He was placed on the non-football injury list the following Monday and was sent to Emory University in Atlanta, Berry’s hometown. Before he left for Atlanta, Berry addressed the team to tell them about his diagnosis. Head coach Andy Reid said during a press conference later that day that Berry wanted his teammates to hear the news from him first. According to Reid, Berry’s teammates could not believe the announcement.

As soon as the news was publicized, an outpouring of support flooded in from across the National Football League. Former and current NFL players took to social media to express their support. Chiefs’ division rivals like the Oakland Raiders sent out tweets wishing Berry luck in his treatment.

The Chiefs players wanted to honor Berry and the impact he has had on the team. They decided to dedicate the Sunday night game against the Denver Broncos to Berry. The team’s captains approached Reid and CEO Clark Hunt to ask permission to wear red pants with red jerseys, Berry’s favorite look. They quickly approved.

In warmups players wore white T-shirts that had the words “Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Berry” written on the front. Each shirt had Berry’s name and number printed on the back.

During a commercial break in the first quarter, the team played a tribute video to Berry that included some of his top plays over his five years with the team, as well as images of fans at Arrowhead Stadium that had made signs to show their support for Berry. Some of them were even Broncos fans.

The day before, the University of Tennessee Volunteers, Berry’s alma mater, wore helmet decals honoring Berry during their game against Vanderbilt. The decal said “29 Strong” along with the letters VFL which stand for Volunteer For Life. Even though the game was played at Vanderbilt, at one point in the game Tennessee fans filled Vanderbilt Stadium with the chant “Eric Berry.”

“I think it’s really great that the football community can come together as one to help support someone that had an unfortunate event happen to them,” junior Daria Kinchelow said.

The outpouring of support doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows Berry. His teammates continue to reiterate that the most noticeable thing about Berry is his character. He started the Eric Berry Foundation in 2010, shortly after he was drafted by the Chiefs and started community outreach in his hometown of Fairburn, Georgia. His first project was to donate a turf football field to Duncan Park, the local park where he had played football as a kid.

Berry’s charity soon spread to the Kansas City area when he became the spokesman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City. He has hosted fundraising events for the organization since 2013 and holds football camps at local high schools, both in Kansas City and Fairburn. Before the school year started, Berry also held a drive to collect backpacks and school supplies for students in need.

“It really shows how good of a guy he really is,” junior Gabby Accurso said. “I wish more NFL players took his example.”

Kansas City Chiefs fans, players and executives have confidence in Berry’s fight against the disease. It helps that the odds are in his favor. The survival rate for lymphoma is anywhere from 50 to 90 percent.

Berry has faith that he can beat this disease. He issued a statement on Monday after the announcement thanking his family, friends, teammates, coaches and fans for their continued support for him over the years. He ended the statement with a sense of hope. “I will be back!” he wrote. He doesn’t need to worry. He has all of Kansas City behind him.