KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Monday that the team has signed safety Daniel Sorensen to a contract extension. Terms of the contract will not be released by the club.

“Daniel has been a very efficient player for us, both on defense and special teams,” Chiefs General Manager John Dorsey said. “He’s a relentless worker and a team-first guy. He’s grown each year in our system and I look forward to watching him develop even more as we move forward.”

Sorensen (6-2, 208) has played in 41 games (one start) in three NFL seasons with the Chiefs (2014-16). His career numbers include 70 tackles (61 solo), five tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks (-15.0 yards), two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He owns three career interceptions, all occurring during the 2016 season, including a pick-six against the Saints on Oct. 23. On special teams, Sorensen has recorded 23 tackles (20 solo), finishing among the team’s top-five special teams tacklers in all three seasons. The Riverside, California, native, originally entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie with the Chiefs in May of 2014. He played collegiately at BYU.

— Chiefs Press Release —

The Kansas City Chiefs have reached a six-year, $78 million deal with Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry that includes $40 million guaranteed and a $20 million signing bonus, a source confirmed to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday.

K.C., Duvernay-Tardif reach 5-year extension
Guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and the Chiefs have agreed to a contract extension. It is a five-year, $41.25 million deal that includes $20 million in guaranteed money, a source told ESPN.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, it would be the most guaranteed money for any current safety contract. The NFL Network first reported the agreement between Berry and the Chiefs. Berry will earn $30 million in the first two years of the deal, a source told ESPN’s Adam Caplan.

“Keeping Eric Berry in a Chiefs uniform long term has been a significant goal of ours,” said Chiefs general manager John Dorsey. “He’s a special football player and an incredible person. We’re thrilled we were able to get this deal done.”

“I’m very happy for Eric and his family,” added Chiefs coach Andy Reid. “He has put in the hard work and preparation and is without question one of the backbones of our defense and a team leader. He’s a special player and an exceptional human being.”

Berry, 28, played on the Chiefs’ franchise tender in 2016 and had perhaps the best season of his seven-year NFL career.

He delivered a number of big plays that helped the Chiefs win close games. None was bigger than an interception late in the fourth quarter on a two-point conversion attempt that Berry returned for a score; those two points were crucial in lifting Kansas City to a 29-28 win at Atlanta in Week 13.

Big plays aside, Berry was a solid player against both the run and pass. The Chiefs used Berry in a variety of roles, sometimes as a deep safety and sometimes lined up close to the line of scrimmage, and he was equally effective in either role. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Chiefs allowed the third-lowest completion percentage on passes thrown 15 yards or more downfield last season.

Berry tied his career high with four interceptions and returned two for touchdowns to tie for the NFL lead in that category. He earned the fifth Pro Bowl selection of his career.

Off the field, Berry was a positive voice in Kansas City’s locker room and an inspiration to many of his teammates. Berry was diagnosed with lymphoma in November 2014 but returned to play by the start of the 2015 season and was named the AP Comeback Player of the Year.

— ESPN NEWS SERVICES —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Tuesday that the club has released running back Jamaal Charles.

“On behalf of my family and the entire Kansas City Chiefs team, I’d like to thank Jamaal Charles for his contributions and dedication over the last nine seasons,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “Jamaal has been one of the most prolific players in our organization’s history, and I have an enormous amount of respect for what he has accomplished. He’ll always be a part of the Chiefs family, and we’ll be ready to honor him for his outstanding playing career when the time is right.”

“I have a great deal of admiration for Jamaal Charles, his toughness, and what he’s been able to achieve in his time in Kansas City,” General Manager John Dorsey said. “These decisions are never easy, but we felt it was in the best interests of the club to move on at this time. We wish Jamaal and his family the best of luck in their next step.”

“I’ve been privileged to work with a lot of talented players over the years, and Jamaal Charles ranks up there with the great ones,” Head Coach Andy Reid said. “I appreciate the way he came to work every day, he gave us everything he had day-in and day-out. I’ve said it before, I think he’s a future Hall of Famer.”

Charles (5-11, 199) has played in 103 games (69 starts) in nine NFL seasons with the Chiefs (2008-16). His career numbers include 1,332 rushes for 7,260 yards (5.5 avg.) with 43 touchdowns. He has recorded 285 receptions for 2,457 yards (8.6 avg.) with 20 TDs. Charles tallied 9,717 scrimmage yards and 64 total touchdowns with the Chiefs. A four-time Pro Bowler, he is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. His best statistical season came in 2012 when he rushed 285 times for 1,509 yards (5.3 avg.) and five touchdowns.

Charles originally entered the NFL as the Chiefs third-round pick (73rd overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft. The Port Arthur, Texas, native, played collegiately at the University of Texas.

— Chiefs Press Release —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Tuesday that the team has signed offensive guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to a contract extension. Terms of the contract will not be released by the club, but reports say it’s a five-year, $40.25 million contract that includes $20 million in guaranteed money.

“Laurent has grown significantly in his three years as a professional,” Chiefs General Manager John Dorsey said. “He brings a lot of mental and physical toughness to the position, and last season he was able to become a key contributor to our offense. Laurent has a bright future here.”

Duvernay-Tardif (6-5, 321) has played in 30 games (27 starts) in three NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (2015-16). He originally entered the NFL as a sixth-round draft pick (200th overall) of the Chiefs in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Canadian-born Duvernay-Tardif became just the second player out of McGill to be selected in the NFL Draft. The St. Hilaire, Quebec native, prepped at College Andre-Grasset in Montreal. He is currently working on completing his medical degree requirements to become a doctor.

— Chiefs Media Relations —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt announced on Sunday that former wide receiver Carlos Carson will be the organization’s 2017 inductee into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. Carson is the 47th individual and 43rd player to earn this coveted honor, which will be celebrated this evening at the 47th annual 101 Awards banquet in downtown Kansas City. The official enshrinement ceremony in to the Chiefs Hall of Fame will be held during Chiefs Alumni Weekend at Arrowhead Stadium this fall.

“It is my pleasure to announce that Carlos Carson will be inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame this fall,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “Carlos was a model of consistency in the 1980’s and over the course of a decade in the National Football League, he established himself as one of the best receivers in Chiefs history. Throughout his career, Carlos represented the Chiefs and the Kansas City community with pride, and he continues to do so as an active member of the Kansas City Ambassadors. We look forward to adding his name to the Ring of Honor during Alumni Weekend later this year.”

Carson spent 10 years on Kansas City’s roster (1980-89) playing under Pro Football Hall of Fame Head Coach Marv Levy (1980-82) as well as head coaches John Mackovic (1983-86), Frank Gansz (1987-88) and Chiefs Hall of Fame Coach Marty Shottenheimer (1989). While with the Chiefs, he saw action in 120 games (91 starts). He recorded 6,360 receiving yards (fifth most in team history), 352 career receptions and 33 total touchdowns during his tenure in Kansas City. Carson had his best season in 1983, where he started all 16 games and recorded career-highs in receiving yards (1,351), receptions (80) and touchdowns (7). His 1,351 receiving yards fell just shy of Philadelphia WR Mike Quick (1,409) for most receiving yards that season in the NFL. Following his time in Kansas City, the two-time Pro Bowler (1983, 1987) finished out his final season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Carson was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round (114th overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft after three successful seasons at Louisiana State University (1977-79). In his first-career start against Rice on September 24, 1977, he connected with QB Steve Ensminger for the second-longest pass in school history at 82 yards. He went on to record five receiving touchdowns that game, setting a school record that stands to this day. He ranks tied for first in most total touchdowns in a game alongside RB Kevin Faulk (1997) and RB Leonard Fournette (2015). As a Tiger, he recorded 89 receptions, 1,728 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, while earning a degree in physical education.

At the time of his retirement, Carson held a Chiefs record for most seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards with three (1983-84, ’87) only to be surpassed by TE Tony Gonzalez, who had four (2000, 2004, 2007-08). Carson continues to hold the record for most receiving yards (2,429) in consecutive seasons (1983-84). His 352 career receptions rank sixth all-time in Chiefs history among wide receivers and eighth among all positions. In 1983, he logged a career-high 80 receptions, setting a Chiefs record for most receptions in a single season. That record held for 17 seasons and still ranks in the top-10 all-time among all players in franchise history.

Following the 1989 season, Carson and his wife, Wilma, dedicated their time to McDonald’s franchises throughout the greater Kansas City area. The two reside in Leawood, Kansas. In his leisure time Carson serves the community through Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Kansas City Ambassador program.

— Chiefs Press Release —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Sunday that safety Eric Berry was named the winner of the club’s Derrick Thomas Award and wide receiver/return specialist Tyreek Hill earned the team’s Mack Lee Hill Award for the 2016 season. This marks Berry’s third postseason recognition after being awarded the Derrick Thomas Award last season alongside quarterback Alex Smith as well as earning the Mack Lee Hill Award after his rookie season in 2010. Both honors were voted on by all Chiefs players and will officially be presented at the 47th annual 101 Awards this evening. The Derrick Thomas Award serves as the team’s vote for most valuable player and the Mack Lee Hill Award is given to the club’s top rookie performer.

Berry (6-0, 212) appeared in 16 games (16 starts) this season. He finished second on the team with 77 tackles (62 solo), recorded nine passes defensed, one forced fumble and four interceptions, two returned for TDs – one at Carolina on Nov. 13, and then again on Dec. 4, at Atlanta, where picked up AFC Defensive Player of the Week after each performance. He was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl following the 2016 season. Berry’s other trips to the NFL’s annual all-star game came following his rookie year (2010), 2012, 2013 and 2015 seasons. Berry earned All-Pro honors from the Associated Press, and was named to the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) All-NFL Team following the 2016 season, joining Travis Kelce, Marcus Peters and Tyreek Hill. The safety was honored with the AP’s Comeback Player of the Year Award as well as being the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award following the 2015 season after overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma and making one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history.

The seventh-year veteran is a Fairburn, Ga., native, who entered the league as the fifth-overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Chiefs. The former University of Tennessee standout has accumulated 429 tackles (361 solo), 5.5 sacks, 14 interceptions, 53 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his NFL career.

Hill (5-10, 185) was Kansas City’s fifth-round pick (165th overall) in the 2016 NFL draft. In his first professional season, the rookie led the league in punt return yards (592), while tying Abner Haynes’ mark of 12 total touchdowns for a franchise rookie record. Hill was named a first-team All-Pro punt returner by the Associated Press and was voted All-Pro punt returner by Sporting News following the 2016 regular season.

During his rookie season, Hill was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 30, after his performance at Denver and was twice named AFC Special Teams player of the Week: first on Dec. 14, following Week 14 versus Oakland and once more on Jan. 4, 2017, after the final regular season game against San Diego. Following a breakout performance in Week 12 at Denver, he became the first player to record a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown and a kick return touchdown in a single game since Gale Sayers accomplished the feat in 1965 against the Minnesota Vikings. Joining a trio of Chiefs, Hill was named to the PFWA All-NFL Team and was additionally named to the 2017 Pro Bowl following his rookie campaign. The Pearson, Ga., native gathered All-AFC accolades from the PFWA as a kick returner and punt returner and was named to the All-Rookie team. Additionally, the former West Alabama product served as a special teams captain in 2016 prior to his first playoff appearance against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

— Chiefs Press Release —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have signed veteran running back C.J. Spiller, providing depth behind Spencer Ware in a move that could mean Jamaal Charles will be cut in a cost-saving move.

The Chiefs would owe Charles more than $6 million this season, a big price tag for a running back who missed most of last year to knee surgery. They would not incur a salary cap hit by letting him go and it is possible Charles could re-sign for less money.

Kansas City is trying to free cap space to help bring back defensive tackle Dontari Poe and safety Eric Berry, whose agent, Chad Speck, also represents Spiller.

Spiller only carried six times in stints with the Jets and Seahawks last season. The former first-round pick signed a four-year, $16 million deal with the Saints in 2015 but only played in 13 games before he was released.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Monday changes to the coaching staff. Coach Brad Childress will now serve as the team’s Assistant Head Coach and Matt Nagy will be the club’s Offensive Coordinator.

“With Coach Culley’s departure to Buffalo, it opened up the position of Assistant Head Coach,” Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid said. “Moving Coach Childress into that job was a natural fit. He has been in the National Football League for nearly two decades, he’s been a head coach, and knows the various demands on and off the field. Coach Nagy did a tremendous job last year and grew in his role as the season progressed. He’s a talented coach that I believe will continue to evolve as his responsibilities increase. I’m confident these changes will be beneficial to our coaching staff and our team.”

— Chiefs Media Relations —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Wednesday that the club has hired Greg Lewis to serve as the team’s wide receivers coach.

“I’m very familiar with Greg, both as a player and a coach,” Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid said. “He’s played the game, he understands our system and the kind of production we expect out of our wide receivers. He’s taking over a talented group of guys and I know he is looking forward to the challenge of helping them and our team continue to grow.”

Lewis joins the Chiefs after spending last season as the Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receivers Coach (2016). He served as an offensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints in 2015 and three seasons coaching in the collegiate ranks prior (University of San Diego in 2012, San Jose State in 2013 and Pittsburgh in 2014).

Lewis originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles under Reid in 2003. He played eight seasons in the NFL with the Eagles (2003-08) and Vikings (2009-10) and was a coaching intern for Reid with the Eagles in 2012. Lewis played in all four of Philadelphia’s NFC Championship appearances and caught a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIX. He played collegiately at the University of Illinois.

— Chiefs Media Relations —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Who needs to reach the end zone when you have Le’Veon Bell chewing up yards and the clock, and Chris Boswell setting an NFL playoff record with six field goals?

Throw in a stingy Pittsburgh defense for most of Sunday night, and a multitude of mistakes by Kansas City, and the Steelers’ 18-16 victory sent them into the AFC championship game.

The Steelers (13-5) needed to hold off a last-ditch threat by the Chiefs (12-5) before advancing to face New England next Sunday night for a spot in the Super Bowl. The Patriots won at Pittsburgh 27-16, but Ben Roethlisberger was injured and didn’t play.

“I think it’s going to be a showdown,” Bell said. “Two great quarterbacks going head to head. Two of the best teams in the AFC. It’s time to settle it next week.”

Since 2001, the Patriots and Steelers have combined to win nine AFC titles.

Spencer Ware’s 1-yard touchdown run took Kansas City within 18-16. The Chiefs at first converted the 2-pointer to tie it, but tackle Eric Fisher — the first overall selection in the 2013 draft — was penalized for holding. The next try failed.

With 2:43 remaining, Justin Gilbert misplayed the kick return and was tackled at the Pittsburgh 5. Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for 7 yards on third down and Pittsburgh then ran out the clock, securing a ninth straight victory for the Steelers. The Chiefs have not won a home playoff game since 1994, losing five in a row.

The scoring started furiously in the opening minutes, then the game became a kicking exhibition by Boswell, who also had six field goals in the regular season against Cincinnati. And Bell put on a virtuoso running performance, patiently finding holes and then exploding through them. He added a team-record 170 yards rushing to the 167 he had in a win over Miami last week.

“The coaches put a lot of trust in me to get the job done,” Bell said of his 30 carries. “Just run hard. Just picked my spots where I could and run hard.”

The Steelers became first team to win a playoff game without a TD since eventual Super Bowl champion Indianapolis in the 2006 AFC divisional round at Baltimore.

Using a no-huddle attack almost to perfection early on, the Steelers drove deep into Kansas City territory. But they bogged down inside the 5 and Boswell made a 22-yard field goal.

The Chiefs were just as efficient on a six-play march capped by receiver Albert Wilson lining up in the backfield, then slipping uncovered into the end zone for a 5-yard score.

Pittsburgh’s answer came on a 52-yard heave to All-Pro Brown, who somehow was covered by linebacker Justin Houston. That led to Boswell’s second field goal, a 38-yarder. He added a 36-yarder to cap a 14-play drive on which Pittsburgh again barely huddled.

A clean game up until then turned to, well, turnovers, on successive series. Bud Dupree pounded Alex Smith, whose pass shot high into the air and was caught by linebacker Ryan Shazier.

The Steelers got to the Kansas City 5, where Frank Zombo leaped to deflect Roethlisberger’s throw, and All-Pro safety Eric Berry — burned for 26 yards on the previously play — picked it off in the end zone.

Boswell’s fourth field goal, from 45 yards, made it 12-7 at the half. His 43-yarder, setting the franchise record for a postseason game and tying the league mark of five, came on Pittsburgh’s first series of the second half. A 43-yarder midway in the fourth quarter gave Boswell the NFL record.

“It’s just about doing my job,” Boswell said. “Coming out here, put it through the yellow pipes. Don’t really think too much. Don’t think like I’m the guy or anything. I’m just doing my job and doing my one-eleventh for the team.”

Kansas City’s Cairo Santos got in on the kicking act with a 48-yarder to make it 15-10. At that point, 10 seconds from the end of the third quarter, the Chiefs were outgained 333 yards to 150.

WEATHERMAN

Switching the game from noon local time to an evening kickoff to avert an ice storm had no effect on the crowd. Fans arrived early, tailgated in the rain as the worst of the storm never hit the area. But fog rolled into Arrowhead Stadium in the second quarter, obscuring some views from on high. Not that what was going on was worth watching for Chiefs fans.

NOTES

Bell rushed for almost as many yards (101) in the first half as the Chiefs gained (106). … Boswell’s four first-half field goals tied the team record for an entire playoff game. … Chiefs All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce had a rough game, including a big drop and a 15-yard roughing penalty in the third period.

UP NEXT

Steelers: Head to New England for a shot at making the Super Bowl.

— Associated Press —