Cardinals' 35th season Arizona: Former defensive end Bertrand Berry looks back on career

Bertrand Berry has become a Phoenix-area fixture since his NFL playing days ended after the 2009 season.

The former Arizona Cardinals defensive end has had his own local sports radio show, opened a small business helping young football players who play defensive line get specialized training and watched his son, Bertrand, learn to play defensive end at Gilbert Highland High School.

This NFL season, which ends with Super Bowl 57 in Glendale, The Republic visits with some of the names and faces from the Cardinals' 35 seasons in Arizona.

This week it's Berry, who had 40 sacks and eight fumble recoveries in the 72 regular season games he played with the Cardinals from 2004 to 2009. Berry was also a Pro Bowler in 2004 and also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.

All together, Berry played 12 NFL seasons.

Previous stories in this series: Eric Hill | Neil Rackers | Mike Iupati | Karlos Dansby | Carson Palmer | Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie | Michael Pittman

Q: You have had quite a bit going on since your playing days ended. The Phoenix radio gig, the business you run and your son playing defensive end in high school football.

A: "The name of the business is "Train's Station." It's been going for a little over three years now and things are going pretty well. We've got some kids that are currently in the valley, some kids in colleges, and we've actually got a few pro guys that come to work with us. You know, it's been going pretty good. The thing that I've wanted to do is give defensive linemen an opportunity to get that specialty training that a lot of the other, quote-unquote, skill positions have been afforded for decades.

"My son, who initially was a wide receiver, actually came to the dark side at the end of July. And so he's been a work in progress, but I think he's been faring pretty well, all things considered, you know, he's still got a lot to learn. But so far, so good with him.  And it's been surreal watching him play."

Like father, like son: Highland's defense helped by emergence of former Cardinals DE Bertrand Berry's son

Q: There's a YouTube video of when you go back to Tampa, to the stadium where you played at the Super Bowl (Cardinals lost to Steelers in heartbreaking fashion in Super Bowl 43). Why did it mean a lot to you to go back there and get some closure from that game?

A: "Well, that's exactly what I was looking for. I was looking for closure. And I wanted to kind of take the myth, or take the sensationalism out of it. Because obviously, that game was not your average game and to be on the losing side of it, it sticks with you a lot longer than had we won it. So I wanted to go back and just be at peace with it, to see it in real time, to see that, hey, you know, it's not the same look, the end zones aren't painted with our logos and life has gone on and so we all should as well. And I know for a lot of Cardinal fans, they still hang on to it like I did. But I think going back and seeing the stadium as it is, it gave me an opportunity to mentally kind of turn the page and really focus on the now rather than continuously looking back on what could have been."

Q: You had a season in Canada after three years in Indianapolis. How did you end up there and how did you get back to the NFL?

A: "So I had two weeks in Canada, I wouldn't call it a season, I had a cup of coffee there. Because when I was let go from Indianapolis, I was really surprised by that. I thought I played well enough to earn a contract, or at least a one-year tender, but they did not want me to sign back. Right after that, I went to camp with the Rams. So it was after being cut by the Rams that I went to Canada. ... And so I really wanted to just get some film so that I could keep my skills sharp, you know, I didn't want to just be sitting in the house not doing anything, I wanted to keep working in my field. And I felt like I still had a future in the NFL. And so the next best thing was to go to Canada (Edmonton).

"But you know, after that second week, I went to the front office, and I just said this isn't going to work out and decided to come home. I had an opportunity to get in with the Chicago Bears, I had a workout with them. And right before the workout, I was in Chicago and I was leaving the hotel to go work out at the Bears facility. And I get a call from the general manager saying they couldn't work me out because the team in Canada did not release my rights. That was a pretty tough blow. And so I missed out on that whole 2000 season. It was at that moment where I kind of started to think well, you know, maybe my career wasn't going to continue. And then on New Year's Day (2001), I get a call from the Broncos. Went and had the workout of my life and they signed me to a future considerations contract that (next) day. And by the end of that camp, I was able to sign a three-year deal. So things kind of, they worked out."

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Q: While you were playing for the Broncos in Denver, you filled in for Mark Schlereth on sports talk radio?

A: "It felt like a hand in glove, something that I was born to do, to some degree. And so I've always loved talking and being able to entertain people, and it's just something that comes very natural for me."

Q: How long were you at 98.7 Arizona Sports?

A: "I believe I was there for almost two years. But you know, it was fun. I appreciated the opportunity to get on and have my own show. ... Maybe one of these days down the road, I'll have another crack at it. I'm constantly trying to work on the craft, you know, I do a podcast. I'm always keeping that as an option. Making sure I keep my chops up. You know never know when you get that opportunity. And you've got to run with it."

More Cardinals' 35th season in Arizona: Kicker Neil Rackers part of team's most memorable moments

Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM. 

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals' 35th season in Arizona: A visit with DE Bertrand Berry