He is the first Quebecois AND doctor to ever win a Super Bowl, no need to introduce him anymore. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is nowadays one of the best athletes out there, not only for his art in protecting the young quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but thanks to his performances outside the field, fighting COVID-19 in Canada. Therefore, he opted out of the 2020 season to put his medical knowledge to use during the pandemic.
Duvernay-Tardif was also the first active NFL player to graduate from medical school. While he’s officially a doctor, he chose to work at a long-term care and housing center with seniors, giving a little bit of hope to people most at risk of dying from the virus.
On a Radio Canada interview, he declared: “I wake up in the morning knowing this was a good decision. There is something extremely positive about winning a Super Bowl. On the other hand, working in a senior housing center, the positive is very subtle. This is what struck me the most. There is no one going home, everyone will eventually die, unfortunately. Your positive is that they are not dying from COVID. This is completely different…”
His decision to opt-out of the 2020 season was widely applauded and the KC Chiefs offensive lineman has been recently one of Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of Year recipients.
In November, the Pro Football Hall of Fame also announced it would display his medical scrubs and lab coat. Quite an achievement for the Quebec-born 29-year-old!
Although the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths remain very high in the US, Duvernay-Tardif is expected to return play for the Chiefs next fall because of the development of an efficient vaccine.
In a recorded message from the NFL to FedEx workers, LDT said:
“Just before we won Super Bowl LIV I was asked what I thought about COVID-19 and I told the reporter I hadn’t thought much about it, that I was just focused on the big game and winning,” Duvernay-Tardif said.
“The world has changed so much since then. I opted out of the 2020 season in order to help on the front lines, here in my hometown in Quebec, putting my doctorate in medicine to use by working in a long-term care facility.”
“While I’m not on the field this season, it’s been a great joy to watch everyone play each and every week. And now the Super Wild Card weekend is here and the vaccine is on the way, not just in the U.S. but in Canada, too.”
“Thanks to FedEx and others who are transporting COVID-19 vaccines to our communities to get as many people as possible vaccinated. It’s truly heroic work and I’d like to personally express my gratitude to all of those who made the vaccine possible and all of those working on the front lines.”
“I look forward to a lot more football to come and being back on the field next season. Stay safe and go Chiefs!”
Many fans have been concerned about the current offensive line, with both Duvernay-Tardif and Schwartz missing, so the return of the most famous doc in the NFL will be a huge relief next year.
