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A Pro Bowler in his first season with the Cards in 2004, Berry has notched 6.0 sacks in each of the last two campaigns that were cut short due to injury. Missed final six contests of 2005 (pectoral) and last eight of 2006 (triceps).
Earned his first career Pro Bowl berth in 2004 after leading the NFC in sacks with 14.5 (#2 in NFL behind Indy’s Dwight Freeney with 16.0).
Berry’s 14.5 sacks in 2004 ranked as the Cardinals third-highest single-season sack total behind Simeon Rice (16.5, 1999) and Curtis Greer (16.0, 1983).
Claimed second place in the Cardinals record books for sacks in a game with 4.0 sacks vs. New York Giants on 11/14/04, half a sack shy of the single-game record set by Curtis Greer vs. Philadelphia on 12/18/83.
Spent the 2000 season out of football but returned to the NFL with the Denver Broncos after receiving a tryout on New Year’s Day 2001; spent the next three seasons with the Broncos before signing a free agent contract with the Cardinals on 3/6/04.
Pro Career:
Regarded as one of the best free-agent acquisitions in Cardinals history, Berry signed a five-year contract with Arizona on 3/6/04. Since then, he has recorded 26.5 sacks in his 34 starts during his first three seasons with the Cardinals. Originally a third-round draft selection by the Colts as a linebacker, Berry converted to defensive end and played three seasons in Indianapolis before spending the 2000 season out of football after being released by the St. Louis Rams on 8/20/00. After a brief stint with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, Berry signed with the Denver Broncos on 1/3/01.
2006: Started all ten games in which he appeared while collecting six sacks in the last five games he played before being placed on injured reserve with a triceps injury recorded one tackle and three QB pressures in the season opener vs. SF (9/10) recorded two tackles, one tackle for a loss and had four QB pressures while helping to hold Chiefs running back Larry Johnson to only 36 yards rushing vs. KC (10/8) chalked up his first sack of the season when he brought down Bears QB Rex Grossman, forcing and recovering a fumble which led to a FG vs. Chi (10/16) had his best game of the season with five tackles, three sacks of QB Andrew Walter`, two forced fumbles (third in two games) and one pass defensed @ Oak (10/22) turned in an outstanding performance vs. Det (11/19) when he recorded three tackles, including two sacks of QB Jon Kitna and one tackle for a loss; provided a huge defensive lift when the Lions had a first-and-goal from the Cardinals one-yard line as he tackled Detroit running back Arlen Harris for a two-yard loss on first down and then sacked Kitna on third down to force a field goal; left the game with a tricep injury placed on injured reserve with that injury on 11/23/06.
2005: Recorded six sacks in the first eight games of the season before suffering a torn pectoral muscle vs. Sea (11/6); spent the rest of the season on injured reserve recorded his first sack of the season against Eli Manning @ NYG (9/11) and added three solo tackles in the game recorded two sacks on Rams QB Marc Bulger vs. StL (9/18) to extend his streak of consecutive games with a sack to three recorded five stops @ Sea (9/25) as well as three QB pressures and one tackle for a loss recorded one sack each of QBs Tim Rattay and Alex Smith and forced a fumble which was recovered but then lost by Calvin Pace vs. SF (10/2); it marked his 15th sack in the last 13 games notched six tackles and two QB pressures vs. Ten (10/23) recorded one sack on Drew Bledsoe, five tackles, and recovered one fumble @ Dal (10/30) recorded two tackles before leaving the game with a pectoral injury vs. Sea (11/6) inactive @ Det (11/13) placed on injured reserve on 11/15 (pec).
2004: Led the NFC with 14.5 sacks and ranked second in the NFL behind Indy’s Dwight Freeney (16.0) in his first season with Arizona, posted the third highest sack total in team history named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press and College and Pro Football Weekly; named All-Conference by Pro Football Weekly in addition to his first career Pro Bowl selection recorded his first sack as a Cardinal while taking down Patriots quarterback Tom Brady vs. NE (9/19) in the third quarter on a third-and-six which forced New England to kick a field goal. Also recovered a Brady fumble in the second quarter on the NE 11-yard line which set up a Neil Rackers 51-yard field goal recorded five tackles, one sack of Michael Vick and one QB hurry @ Atl (9/26) sacked San Francisco quarterback Tim Rattay twice and added four tackles @ SF (10/10); also forced a fumble recorded his fifth sack of the season to claim the team lead @ Mia (11/7), the sack of Jay Fiedler also forced a fumble which was recovered by Karlos Dansby sacked Kurt Warner four times vs. NYG (11/14) to set a new career high in sacks and to claim second place in the Cards record books for sacks in a game (4.5, Curtis Greer vs. Philadelphia 12/18/83) tied for the league lead with 10.0 sacks and claimed the NFC lead after recording one sack on Quincy Carter, one tackle, one pass break up and one forced fumble vs. NYJ (11/28) sacked Joey Harrington @ Det (12/5) to claim the NFL lead in sacks with 11.0; added two tackles, a pass break up and one quarterback hurry in the game as well sacked 49ers QB Ken Dorsey and recorded four tackles vs. SF; recorded at least one sack in five of six games notched a half sack on Chris Chandler and two tackles vs. StL (12/19) to increase his sack total to 12.5 for the season finished the season with 2.0 sacks of Chris Simms vs. TB (1/2), one pass defensed and two QB pressures.
2003: In first season as 16-game starter, led all Denver defensive linemen with 65 tackles (40
solos) and 11.5 quarterback sacks, the latter tied for fifth in the AFC, ninth in the NFL added
four pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery opened season quickly with two sacks of Bengals passer Jon Kitna @ Cin (9/7) the following week @ SD (9/14) deflected a Drew Brees pass that was intercepted by Bronco linebacker Ian Gold posted six tackles in home opener vs. Oak (9/22), twice sacking Raider quarterback Rich Gannon and sharing a third drop of the passer; first sack was six-yard loss on first play from scrimmage, the second a one-yard drop of Gannon on third down, then later combined with Reggie Hayward for another sack season-best nine tackles (seven solos) vs. Pit (10/12) included a sack of Tommy Maddox; also jump-started Bronco victory over Steelers with recovery of a fumble by running back Jerome Bettis while nursing a 76 fourth-quarter lead four tackles @ KC (12/7) featured then single-game best three sacks of Chief passer Trent Green along with a pass deflection and forced fumble four tackles vs. Cle (12/14) included crucial sack of Brown quarterback Tim Couch with two minutes left in game to force Cleveland to settle for a field goal in eventual 23-20 overtime victory active game against his former team @ Ind (12/21) with a shared sack of Colt passer Peyton Manning, forced two fumbles, and one pass defensed concluded season with six tackles @ GB (12/28).
2002: Appeared in all 16 games with one starting assignment for the Broncos registered first sack of season with nine-yard drop of Bills passer Drew Bledsoe vs. Buf (9/22) posted first multi-sack game of career @ NE (10/27) with two sacks of Patriot quarterback Tom Brady season-best three tackles included a sack @ Sea (11/17) added sack of Chad Pennington @ NYJ (12/8) along with a fumble recovery started the following week @ Oak (12/22) and collected two tackles and a sack.
2001: Saw reserve duty for the Broncos in 14 games with 17 tackles (14 solos), two sacks, two fumble recoveries, and one pass defensed recovered fumble @ Arz (9/23) collected season-best four tackles vs. NE (10/28) suffered shoulder injury vs. Was (11/18) and inactive for two games returned to action vs. Sea (12/9) and registered sack of Seahawks passer Matt Hasselbeck, then posted two tackles and another sack of Trent Green @ KC (12/16) finished season with two tackles and a fumble recovery vs. Oak (12/30).
2000: Signed with St. Louis as free agent on 7/20 attended training camp but released 8/20 signed with the Edmonton Eskimos on 9/30 and saw action in two games, recording only one tackle released by the Eskimos on 11/21.
1999: Played in all 16 games for the Colts, primarily on special teams from scrimmage posted nine tackles (four solos) and one sack on Doug Flutie vs. Buf (9/12) added 18 tackles and a forced fumble on special teams.
1998: Starter in 12 of last 13 games for the Colts at left end (three games) and right end (nine games) recorded four tackles and a sack of Ryan Leaf vs. SD (10/4) and one sack of Steve Young @ SF (10/18) added six tackles, a sack of Vinny Testaverde, and forced fumble vs. NYJ (11/15) four stops and a seven-yard sack of Jon Kitna vs. Sea (12/20) finished season with five solo stops, six overall and one forced fumble vs. Car (12/27).
1997: Played in 10 games (one start) with the Colts first NFL start vs. TB (11/12) in place of injured Quentin Coryatt and notched season-best five tackles three tackles @ NE (11/30) three stops and a pass defensed from scrimmage, two tackles on special teams vs. Mia (12/14).
College:
Three-year starter at Notre Dame produced 187 tackles, 16.5 quarterback sacks, 37 pressures, 11 tackles for loss, and 6 forced fumbles as a senior, had 60 stops and 10.0 sacks including a three-sack game against Washington.
Personal:
Full name Bertrand Demond Berry a native of Humble, TX, Berry was honored by the Touchdown Club of Houston in April of 2005 when he was named the Greater Houston NFL Player of the Year three-sport performer at Humble (TX) High School two-time all-district selection in basketball and set school record in shuttle hurdle relay and threw discus for track team communication and theater major at Notre Dame honored in 2004 with the Lloyd Herberg Courage Award for outstanding performance from the Phoenix chapter of the Pro Football Writer’s Association and the Greater Houston NFL Player of the Year Award from the Touchdown Club of Houston. | 