KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs safety Eric Berry and running back Spencer Ware returned to practice Wednesday, raising the possibility that both will be available for the AFC championship game showdown with New England.
Berry missed most of the season because of a heel injury that developed in training camp, then played parts of two games against the Chargers and Seahawks. The heel began to bother him again the next week, and he did not practice last week or play in the divisional round against Indianapolis.
Ware hurt his hamstring in a Week 14 win over the Ravens.
Chiefs Coach Andy Reid also said right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who was activated off injured reserve on Tuesday, would work into the mix with the starters. Whether he starts in Sunday’s game against the Patriots will not be decided until later in the week.
“We’re getting our work done starting today,” Reid said, “and we’ll put it in right through Saturday.”
The Chiefs have treated Berry with caution all year after the three-time All-Pro tore his Achilles tendon in last season’s opener. One sign Berry might be available was when Duvernay-Tardif came off IR. The Chiefs had to cut someone to make space and chose veteran safety Ron Parker.
PATRIOTS: Temperatures in the teens and a low wind chill are forecasted for Sunday night’s AFC championship game in Kansas City. Coach Bill Belichick, however, was not interested in talking about the weather
“Yeah, we’re just getting ready for the Chiefs,” Belichick said. “Whatever it is, it is.”
Naturally, the reporter had a follow-up question. Do you mind playing in the severe cold?
“I love playing in the championship game,” Belichick said. “Schedule it wherever you want. We’ll be there.”
• The Patriots had perfect attendance at practice. Defensive lineman Deatrich Wise (ankle) was the lone player listed on the team’s injury report, and he was a full participant.
BUCCANEERS: Tampa Bay officially hired Byron Leftwich as its offensive coordinator.
The Bucs announced the hiring a week after incoming coach Bruce Arians said the ex-NFL quarterback would call plays next season and Clyde Christensen would serve as quarterbacks coach.
STEELERS: Team President Art Rooney II said the team still hasn’t heard from wayward wide receiver Antonio Brown since he left Heinz Field following a victory on Dec. 30 when Brown did not play after failing to communicate with Pittsburgh Coach Mike Tomlin in the 48 hours leading up to the game to provide an update on an apparent knee injury.
Brown didn’t show up when the Steelers cleaned out their lockers on New Year’s Eve after finishing 9-6-1 and has made repeated overtures on social media over the past few weeks to indicate he’d prefer to play elsewhere in 2019.
Rooney said the team has “left everything open” in terms of Brown’s future, including a potential reconciliation, but added “there aren’t that many signs out there that that is going to happen.”
Rooney indicated he would like to have the chance to get Brown’s side of the story, but stressed he would not “disparage” the player who evolved from a sixth-round pick into one of the best players of his generation. Rooney brushed off the notion the Steelers have become a “circus,” calling it “nonsense,” and didn’t believe Brown’s sometimes erratic behavior was an issue until recently.
JAGUARS: Jacksonville hired former Minnesota offensive coordinator John DeFilippo to the same position, hoping he can help revitalize one of the league’s least-productive offenses.
JETS: Gregg Williams was hired as defensive coordinator – the first major staff addition by Adam Gase since he became head coach – and also retained special teams coordinator Brant Boyer.
LIONS: Detroit hired Darrell Bevell as its new offensive coordinator. Bevell spent seven seasons as Seattle’s offensive coordinator from 2011-17 and was part of a Super Bowl winner with the Seahawks.
PACKERS: Green Bay hired former Jacksonville assistant Nathaniel Hackett as its offensive coordinator.
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