Laurent Duvernay-Tardif in Pro Football Hall of Fame for work off field fighting COVID-19
Kansas City Chiefs right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is now in the Pro Football Hall of
Kansas City Chiefs right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — not for his work on the Chiefs offensive line, but for his work on the front lines fighting COVID-19.The Pro Football Hall of Fame tweeted a photo of some of its newest artifacts Saturday — including Duvernay-Tardif’s medical scrubs and lab coat. Duvernay-Tardif graduated from McGill University School of Medicine in 2018, and after winning the Super Bowl, went home to his native Canada to work as an orderly at a long-term care facility about an hour away from Montreal. While he’s Dr. Duvernay-Tardif officially, he still must complete his residency requirements. Until that is complete, his medical responsibilities were somewhat limited, but still extremely valid as hospitals and facilities across the country face shortages of qualified medical staff. He opted out of the season in July, becoming the first NFL player to do so. At the time he said, “This is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make in my life but I must follow my convictions and do what I believe is right for me personally.”He said he came to the decision just one week before he was due to fly back to Kansas City.“It kind of made me realize that COVID doesn’t just infect people or kill them, it also affects people outside the hospital community, outside the long-term care facility. It put a stress on health care workers,” Duvernay-Tardif said. “I think that really changed my perspective on the virus itself.”While continuing to help fight against COVID-19, Duvernay-Tardif has also continued his education. He announced in September that he would spend the next few months taking online classes at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sports Illustrated reported he would take classes in nutrition, biostatistics and epidemiology.
Kansas City Chiefs right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is now in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — not for his work on the Chiefs offensive line, but for his work on the front lines fighting COVID-19.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame tweeted a photo of some of its newest artifacts Saturday — including Duvernay-Tardif’s medical scrubs and lab coat.
Duvernay-Tardif graduated from McGill University School of Medicine in 2018, and after winning the Super Bowl, went home to his native Canada to work as an orderly at a long-term care facility about an hour away from Montreal.
While he’s Dr. Duvernay-Tardif officially, he still must complete his residency requirements. Until that is complete, his medical responsibilities were somewhat limited, but still extremely valid as hospitals and facilities across the country face shortages of qualified medical staff.
He opted out of the season in July, becoming the first NFL player to do so. At the time he said, “This is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make in my life but I must follow my convictions and do what I believe is right for me personally.”
He said he came to the decision just one week before he was due to fly back to Kansas City.
“It kind of made me realize that COVID doesn’t just infect people or kill them, it also affects people outside the hospital community, outside the long-term care facility. It put a stress on health care workers,” Duvernay-Tardif said. “I think that really changed my perspective on the virus itself.”
While continuing to help fight against COVID-19, Duvernay-Tardif has also continued his education. He announced in September that he would spend the next few months taking online classes at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Sports Illustrated reported he would take classes in nutrition, biostatistics and epidemiology.