It’s time for Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to prioritize medicine, even if he doesn’t want to give up on the NFL.
The 31-year-old Quebecer, who graduated from McGill University’s medical school in 2018, must begin his residency no later than next month if he wants to become a doctor.
“McGill University and the College of Physicians have been very flexible since I started my career in the NFL,” Duvernay-Tardif told The Canadian Press. I could have asked for an exception, to have the rules adjusted for me, but I don’t want that. I don’t want a pass. I could ask to start in January. But I don’t want to be the one who arrives like a hair in the soup six months after the others. »
“Four years after graduating is the deadline to start my residency. It was okay to optimize my schedule to favor my football, but I didn’t want to go outside the framework that was thought out by the university and the College of Physicians. The rules are clear. A few weeks after being exchanged to New York, I began the process for my residency. […] Now is the time for me to prioritize medicine, a decision I am 100% comfortable with. »
At the same time, the six-foot-five, 321-pound colossus still hopes to continue his NFL career, despite still being out of contract for the upcoming campaign.
And it is not the interest that is lacking.
“We had several contract offers. At least three or four teams, some of which called Sasha [Ghavami, son agent] every week for a month, made me firm offers. I just got to a point where I have to prioritize my journey [en médecine]. »
Ghavami would not reveal the identity of the teams involved. All the offers had to be declined, however, since Duvernay-Tardif would not be able to participate in the mandatory activities of the clubs concerned, including the training camp.
His residency will be for two years, but his first obligations are for two months. He could then count on a break of a few months: he therefore hopes to be able to find a place in the NFL somewhere in September.
“I always want to try to be authentic and true in what I say. So I can’t say that I’m going to quit football knowing that deep down inside, there’s still a chance I’ll come back. We talked to the teams about it and surprisingly we had a good reception from some of them. »
“I’m not saying that I’m going to play football only if I have an offer. I say that currently, I am concentrating on medicine and that I am quite certain that there will be a contract for me in September. I have a moral obligation to do these first two months, but then I could take advantage of a five-month break to go play football. »
A first
“LDT” became a free agent for the first time in his career last March. Since the native of Mont-Saint-Hilaire broke through with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014, he had never found himself without an NFL contract in his pocket.
“It’s more about exploring options, sort of seeing what the next step is,” Ghavami said at the time. We are not closing the door to anything. »
That includes a return to the New York Jets, which Duvernay-Tardif finished with last season.
Right side guard, the former McGill University player started seven of eight games with the Jets (4-13), who finished last in the AFC East.
The Quebecer had become the first NFL player to retire from the 2020 season. He fought the coronavirus pandemic by working in a long-term care center in Quebec.
“I think the teams are open to welcoming me in September because they saw that I could arrive in a team that practices a completely different system from the one in which I was playing and be quickly inserted into the starting line-up, like I did it when I arrived at the Jets, ”noted the footballer.
After the 2020 season, Duvernay-Tardif returned to Kansas City in 2021, hoping to return to his position. However, he broke his hand in training and missed a month of activities. Recovered, he has been an inactive player, with rookie Trey Smith becoming the Chiefs’ starting right guard.
Last November, Duvernay-Tardif waived his no-trade clause, allowing the Chiefs to trade him to the Jets.
Duvernay-Tardif started 57 of 60 games during his time with the Chiefs. He got his first NFL start in 2015 and helped the Chiefs win the Super Bowl on Feb. 2, 2020, against the San Francisco 49ers.