Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, MD, a medical doctor and NFL star, has announced his retirement from the NFL after playing as an offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs for the last six years, according to a Sept. 21 report from CNN.
Dr. Duvernay-Tardif spent nine years in the NFL after being drafted during his third year of medical school. He continued his medical training at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, completing clinical rotations in pediatrics, obstetrics, geriatrics and emergency medicine in the offseason.
In 2018, Dr. Duvernay-Tardif became the first practicing medical doctor to play in the NFL. He was also an important part of the Chiefs' 2019 season, which resulted in a Super Bowl win.
In 2020, he opted out of the NFL season, choosing instead to provide patient care in Montreal during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I always viewed medicine as a way to help me cope with some of the pressure of sports. When I decided to pursue a career in medicine while playing professional football, I experienced a new level of pressure beyond the field. What I witnessed in the emergency room could directly help me when it came to playing football and being in a high-stress environment. It helped me optimize my performance on the field," Dr. Duvernay-Tardif told CNN.
He returned to the NFL in 2021, playing two seasons with the New York Jets and starting in 65 of the 73 games he played.
In 2021, he won the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his medical work during the COVID-19 pandemic.