‘A player must flourish off the field to perform on the field’: Ex-Chiefs star and medical doctor Laurent Duvernay-Tardif retires from NFL
Duvernay-Tardif (76) during the second half of an NFL preseason game between the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs on August 31, 2017 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO.
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif looks on during the second half of the Kansas City Chiefs’ preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on August 31, 2017.
CNN
—
Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman and medical doctor, announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday.
“I’ve had the chance to play in the NFL for 9 years and even today, I sometimes can’t believe I was able to experience this adventure,” the 32-year-old wrote on Instagram.
“Being a professional athlete is a privilege as well as an extremely enriching human and personal experience. The victories, losses and injuries have all been moments to learn how to win and lose as a team while managing a wide range of emotions.”
Duvernay-Tardif was drafted in the sixth round by the Chiefs in 2014, spending six years with the team.
He was in his third year of medical school when the Chiefs selected him and continued his studies, returning to Montreal in the offseason to fulfill his clinical rotations in pediatrics, obstetrics, geriatrics and his preferred specialization, emergency medicine.
He eventually earned his medical degree from McGill University in Canada in 2018.
KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 23: Offensive tackle Laurent Duvernay-Tardif #76 of the Kansas City Chiefs is introduced prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers on September 23, 2018 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images)
Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images
Duvernay-Tardif is introduced prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers on September 23, 2018 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
“It’s a pretty awesome feeling,” Duvernay-Tardif told CNN in 2018 after becoming the first practicing medical doctor to play in the NFL by taking to the field in the Chiefs’ opening week victory over the Los Angles Chargers.
“It’s good to step on that field knowing that you’re the first active player with an M.D. You know, I’ve been working eight years for that, and all those times that people were like: ‘You cannot do both, you have got to pick one or the other,’ I decided to stay true to myself and keep going, keep grinding with that vision.”
Duvernay-Tardif was a vital part of the Chiefs team which won the Super Bowl during the 2019 season.
In 2020, Duvernay-Tardif decided to opt out of that year’s NFL season, instead choosing to help as an orderly at a long-term care facility near his hometown Montreal during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I always saw medicine as a way to cure people,” Duvernay-Tardif told ESPN in 2021. “I wanted to send people back home with good news. Working on the front lines and in red zones in the long-term care facility was a new environment for me as a medical professional.
“I quickly realized that, because of COVID, people were not going to be returning home. And it gave me a different perspective on life. It gave me a different perspective on football. It gave me a different perspective on everything.
“I always viewed medicine as a way to help me cope with some of the pressure of sports. When I decided to pursue a career in medicine while playing professional football, I experienced a new level of pressure beyond the field. What I witnessed in the emergency room could directly help me when it came to playing football and being in a high-stress environment. It helped me optimize my performance on the field. But ultimately, working in the medical field helped me define myself as more than a football player.
“This past year, I got a different sense of what really matters in life. I saw so much suffering. I saw so much resilience. The healthcare workers displayed resilience like I’ve never seen before.”
Junfu Han/USA Today Network/Reuters
Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds, left, celebrates a touchdown with running back Craig Reynolds during the Lions’ game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, January 21, at Ford Field in Detroit. The Lions won 31-23.
Jeffrey T. Barnes
Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire carries the ball in the second quarter of the Chiefs’ 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on January 21. The reigning Super Bowl champions will face the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship.
Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw tackles Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson on Saturday, January 20, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers won 24-21 and will move on to the NFC Championship game.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson evades Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to score an 8 yard touchdown on January 20 in Baltimore. The Ravens won 34-10 and earned a spot in the AFC Championship game next weekend, their first since the 2012 season.
Julio Aguilar
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts runs in his own end zone, looking for someone to throw to, during a playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, January 15. He was later called for intentional grounding on the play, resulting in a safety. The Eagles, last year’s NFC champion, lost 32-9.
Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox celebrates with fans after scoring a first-half touchdown against Pittsburgh on January 15. The Bills won 31-17.
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium is covered in snow before the playoff game against Pittsburgh on January 15. The game was delayed a day because of winter storm conditions.
Rey Del Rio
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs runs the ball during the Lions’ 24-23 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, January 14. It was the Lions’ first playoff win since the 1991 season.
Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander celebrates an interception during the first quarter of the Packers’ upset win over the Dallas Cowboys on January 14. The Packers won 48-32, becoming the first No. 7 seed to win an NFL playoff game.
Michael Owens/Getty Images
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott stands for the national anthem before the game against Green Bay on January 14.
The helmet of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes breaks as he is hit by Miami Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott during the <a href=”https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/14/sport/kansas-city-chiefs-defeat-miami-dolphins-cold/index.html” target=”_blank”>Chiefs’ 26-7 victory over the Dolphins</a> on Saturday, January 13. The temperature at kickoff was -4 degrees Fahrenheit in Kansas City, with a wind chill of -20 degrees. That made it <a href=”https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/13/weather/coldest-nfl-games-trnd/index.html” target=”_blank”>the fourth-coldest game in NFL history</a>, according to the Peacock broadcast.
Emily Curiel/The Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service/Getty Images
The helmet of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes breaks as he is hit by Miami Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott during the Chiefs’ 26-7 victory over the Dolphins on Saturday, January 13. The temperature at kickoff was -4 degrees Fahrenheit in Kansas City, with a wind chill of -20 degrees. That made it the fourth-coldest game in NFL history, according to the Peacock broadcast.
Ryan Kang/AP
Houston Texans linebacker Christian Harris celebrates after returning an interception for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on January 13. The Texans returned two interceptions for touchdowns as they defeated the Browns 45-14.
Rich Storry/Getty Images
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Trent Sherfield celebrate after a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, January 7. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 21-14 to win the AFC East title and clinch a home playoff game next week. The Dolphins — in first place for much of the season — had to settle for a wild-card spot.
Brian Fluharty/USA Today Network/Reuters
New York Jets long snapper Thomas Hennessy shovels snow along the sideline during a game at New England on January 7. The Jets won 17-3, but both teams finished the season well out of the playoff picture.
Adam Hunger/AP
New York Giants linebacker Micah McFadden breaks up a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles running back Boston Scott on January 7. The Giants upset the Eagles 27-10 to end their season on a winning note. The Eagles made the playoffs as a wild-card team.
David Butler II/USA Today Network/Reuters
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they take on the New York Jets on January 7. Belichick confirmed on January 11 that he is leaving the New England Patriots after 24 seasons, during which the franchise won six Super Bowl titles.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
San Francisco 49ers safety Tayler Hawkins celebrates with teammates after an interception on January 7. The 49ers went on to lose 21-20 to the Los Angeles Rams, but they already had the No. 1 seed locked up in the NFC. The Rams were already set as a wild-card team.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks eyes Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes during the Cowboys’ 38-10 victory on January 7. With the win, the Cowboys clinched the NFC East title and the No.
