That’s Dr. NFL Lineman to you.
On Tuesday, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif added a new line to a resume that already includes his occupation as a player for the Kansas City Chiefs – his graduation from McGill Medical School makes him a physician.
Duvernay-Tardif called the graduation his proudest moment, outpacing even the day he signed his $41 million contract.
“I think it’s the first time I’ve actually been really, really proud of myself,” he said. “It’s the first time that I’m like, ‘I made it.’”
Duvernay-Tardif is entering his fifth year in the NFL and will report to Kansas City on Wednesday for spring training. Over those years, he spent his off-seasons in Montreal, continuing his studies.
He credits his parents for pushing him to pursue both dreams.
“He wants to do everything, so we said ‘Go Laurent, and we will help you if you need some help to do things,’” said father Francois Tardif.
Duvernay-Tardif also credited Chiefs coach Andy Reid. Coincidentally, Reid’s mother is also a graduate of McGill Medical School.
“He’s trying to make me the best player on the field,” he said. “By letting me be more flexible with my schedule, I think it just makes me want to be the best player I can be for him.”
For the time being, the newly minted doctor said he plans to focus more on football as he tries to figure out how he’ll balance a medical residency and the NFL. Nonetheless, he insisted practicing medicine is in his future.
“Medicine is an opportunity to do something you really love and you’re passionate about for up to 40 years,” he said. “It’s not really the case with football.”
