Canadian NFL player drops out of season to continue front-line Covid fight

On July 24th, the NFL said it will give players two weeks to opt out of the upcoming season amid Covid concerns. Almost immediately, Canadian lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif declared his non-participation.

That means he won’t be a part of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl-defending campaign, which kicks off on September 10th. He was the first player in the league to drop out.

In a Tweet explaining his decision, Duvernay-Tardif said being on the front line of the fight against COVID-19 has changed his perspective on the crisis. “If I am to take risks, I will do it caring for patients,” he wrote.

Duvernay-Tardif has a medical degree from McGill University in Montreal. During the offseason, he has worked on fulfilling the requirements to become a doctor. In the meantime, he worked as an orderly in a long-term care home just south of Montreal.

So far, 31 players have bailed on the 2020-2021 season. The deadline to opt out is August 5th.