He took off his helmet, and he put it away until the arrival of the better days as he decided to dedicate himself to the fight with the coronavirus on the frontlines.
They call him the Bruce Wayne of the NFL – except, instead of the superhero mask and cape, he puts on a white coat and a stethoscope, and then he becomes a hero whose knowledge, courage and professionalism are being exceptionally valued in the days when the world faces a deadly threat.
His name is Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff, and he is very unique – This Canadian is currently the only NFL player with a University Degree in Medicine. He is most likely the only person who is both a doctor and a professional sports player in the world.
He comes from a family of doctors, and while dedicating his life to studying and science, his career is marked only with success – the biggest one yet was just a few months ago when the Kansas City Chiefs won the Superbowl. Afterward, there was time for celebration and relaxation for the team – but it was short-lived. That’s when Duvernay-Tardiff joined the frontlines in the fight for humanity.
Laurent never gave up on his dreams despite constantly being pulled from both sides – he knew that it was a highly difficult path, but one that would ultimately pay off. Studying medicine while at the same time being completely dedicated to his sports career, not giving up for a second is something only the most devoted and persistent people can do – the best of the best.
His dream, after 8 years of studying, became reality when he achieved his second biggest life goal – Duvernay-Tardiff graduated in Medicine in 2018 and became a surgeon of the McGill Medical University in Canada. This is the main reason why the Kansas City coach Andy Reid had an infinite understanding of his player’s other responsibilities and gave him full freedom, which was something that he would most likely not get if he had had a different coach.
Only a year before he got his academic title, Laurent got the contract of a lifetime with the Chiefs – a 5-year partnership worth 42 million dollars, with another 10 million in bonuses.
Duvernay-Tardiff claims that he had confidence that he could play in the NFL. When you look at the stats of the typical length of one’s career, on top of studying medicine, Laurent says that it was uncertain but ultimately everything came together. He says that coach Reid is the person that made it all possible because he was understanding and gave him a chance to balance studying and a professional career. Before the age of 30, Laurent achieved something unattainable even in two lifetimes for most people.
He has been a member of the Chiefs from 2014, and it’s interesting to note that in the “rookie” season he never even played for the team, but afterward he showed that he was a worthy player who should be counted on. That’s when he became the irreplaceable asset of the Chiefs and one of the best of the league on his position. Not only is he the best, but he is also the NFL Doctor.
