(Montreal) Laurent Duvernay-Tardif — whom Americans now call “The Doctor” — is back in the NFL.
His agent, Sasha Ghavami, confirmed this to The Canadian Press on Thursday.
The veteran guard reunited with his former New York Jets teammates on Friday, bringing depth to an offensive line that has been decimated by injuries so far this season.
Duvernay-Tardif is due to participate in a videoconference later today to discuss his plans for the rest of the current campaign.
He had put his sports career on hold after spending the last two months of last season with the Jets, in order to begin his medical residency in a Montreal hospital.
“It’s phenomenal,” exclaimed Jets head coach Robert Saleh about the Mont-Saint-Hilaire native and his ability to juggle his football career and that of a doctor.
The 31-year-old Quebecer had given up the 2020 season, while playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, to help medical staff fight the coronavirus pandemic. Then, midway through last campaign, he waived his no-trade clause, allowing the Chiefs to trade him to the Jets.
The guard on the right side from Mont-Saint-Hilaire had then started in seven of the last eight games for the Jets (4-13), who had finished last in the Eastern Division of the American Conference.
Duvernay-Tardif, an unrestricted free agent, told La PC in June that he was not giving up on his football career, and even added that he would reassess his options in the fall.
He will therefore put his residency in medicine on ice for a few months in order to reconnect with the Jets, who offered him a tryout in training on Wednesday before granting him a new contract. Duvernay-Tardif will fill the gaps that have appeared in the Jets’ offensive front due to numerous injuries.
Both tackle Mekhi Becton and guard/tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker will miss the rest of the season due to injuries. Tacklers George Fant and Max Mitchell are currently on the injured list, while starting left-side tackle Duane Brown is playing despite a shoulder injury after missing the first four games of the season.
“He looks good,” Saleh said of ‘LDT’. It will be a plus, obviously, to be able to count on one more veteran, someone who knows our system, someone who has already played in the NFL and who has already been a regular player in this section, who knows what it is, and who understands our language. »
The Jets released offensive lineman Myron Cunningham from their practice squad to offer Duvernay-Tardif a job.
The Jets will face the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon. However, do not expect to see Duvernay-Tardif in uniform for the occasion.
With Dennis Waszak Jr., Associated Press