Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is apparently the only NFL football player who is also a medical-school graduate. He has decided to opt out of this season, as he has been working the front-lines of COVID for a while now.
From Facebook:
“Being at the frontline during this offseason has given me a different perspective on the pandemic and the stress it puts on individuals and our healthcare system,” Duvernay-Tardif shared.
“I cannot allow myself to potentially transmit the virus in our communities simply to play the sport that I love. If I am to take risks, I will do it caring for patients.”
Damn Canadians spoil the fun for everyone, ay?
So, at least one of his teammates is supporting his decision:
Less than 24 hours after Duvernay-Tardif's announcement, the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs were getting their camp underway and Kansas City superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes conveyed his support and respect for Duvernay-Tardif's decision, though he admitted it did come as a shock.
"I think it surprises anyone, but at the same time you respect his decision," Mahomes told the media Saturday in a Zoom press conference. "He's a guy that's been on those front lines working with the people that are suffering from COVID day to day and putting in all that time and all that work. He understands it and his decision was he wanted to stay there; he wanted keep helping in that capacity and I know it was difficult for him, but you respect the decision for him to kinda put his thoughts aside and kinda do what he thought was best to help out his community and the world as he sees it."
But the support doesn’t stop there………..
A medical school graduate from Canada's McGill University, the 29-year-old Duvernay-Tardif has been working as an orderly in a long-term care facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid spoke glowingly of his Duvernay-Tardif and his admiration for his decision and his sacrifice to his other profession.
"[Doctors are] givers, they're not takers, they're givers and they're healers. They want the best for you. Larry has that quality. And you're seeing it to the utmost, here. I just think it's tremendous dedication to his profession, what his future's gonna be and mainly to the people that he gets to help. My heart goes out to him. I had a great talk with him, great visit with him. His players support him. The veteran players support him, the coaches support him," Reid said. "I'm so happy and proud."
In speaking with other teammates, Mahomes mentioned that he's heard nothing but support for Duvernay-Tardif's choice and his reasoning behind it.
Baseball, the most promising sport for COVID-19 safe-play, is flaming out.
Football, the LEAST promising sport for COVID-19 safe-play (besides basketball and pro wrestling), will be surely a f*cking nightmare.