MONTREAL -- Quebecer Laurent Duvernay-Tardif has been named one of Sports Illustrated's 2020 Sports Personalities of the Year.
'LDT', who won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs, is joined by teammate quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Los Angeles Lakers star and NBA icon LeBron James, Japanese tennis phenom Naomi Osaka and Seattle Storm finals MVP Breanna Stewart.
"As an athlete, we have the power to have a positive impact on our society. It means everything to me, to be recognized for my community involvement off the field with one of the most prestigious sporting awards," the Quebecer wrote on Twitter. "I would like to dedicate this trophy to all the health-care workers who have made great sacrifices to protect and care for others. Thank you. The work is not done."
Mahomes retweeted Duvernay-Tardif's message.
Duvernay-Tardif made the decision not to play with the Chiefs in 2020 in order to devote himself to the fight against COVID-19 in CHSLDs in Quebec.
The intention of the player from Mont-Saint-Hilaire is to regain his place at guard in 2021. NFL football being what it is, however, his place in the team is far from guaranteed.
That's why he began a training program earlier this year that will allow him to appear in peak form at the next Chiefs training camp. In addition to working in CHSLDs. And studying... at Harvard.
The 29-year-old 6'5", 320-pound o-lineman has already announced his intention to deepen his knowledge in public health at the prestigious American university.
From a distance, Duvernay-Tardif is studying the health and social behavior of the population, nutrition at the global population level, as well as biological and epidemiological statistics.
-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2020.
