Most NFL players spend retirement figuring out their next chapter. But former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif took a different path. He balanced two of the toughest professions simultaneously – medical school and professional football. And now, the retired Super Bowl champion has officially earned his place as a practicing physician. 

Duvarnay-Tardif recently took to Instagram and shared a few pictures of himself and his colleagues at McGill University. In the caption, he proudly declared that he’s officially wrapped up the written exam, oral exam, and medical residency. 

“Back in 2010, when I started medicine at McGill while playing football, I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” the former Chiefs guard wrote in the caption. “Sixteen years later, I’ve had the chance to live experiences and meet extraordinary people who pushed me and made me grow as a human being. My curriculum was atypical in a lot of ways, but I’m proud of it. And I’m convinced that my journey will allow me to bring into my practice some of the lessons I learned along the way.” 

“Thank you to all the amazing people who supported me when I struggled to see the bigger picture,” he shared his appreciation for his support system. “I of course think of @florence.dubemoreau and my family, but also of great allies like Coach Reid, Dr. Primavesi, and the Faculty of Medicine at McGill, who believed in my project. On to the next chapter!” 

Duvernay-Tardif is one of the few NFL player in history to complete medical school. Before him, Jean-Philippe Darch, Dan Fortmann, Bill McColl, Myron Rolle, Nate Hughes, and Dan Fortmann achieved the feat. What’s more interesting is that when Duvernay-Tardif got his MD in 2018, he became the first-ever active NFL player to hold a medical degree. 

In 2020, he famously opted out of the NFL to fight COVID-19 on the frontlines in Canada. That act got him the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award and the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year honor. However, in September 2023, he decided to hang up his cleats for good and focus on treating people. 

But beyond his off-field heroics, how does his actual NFL record look?

How has Laurent Duvernay-Tardif fared in the field?

Duvernay-Tardif began his NFL journey after being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014. And he became a full-time starter in 2015. He anchored the Chiefs’ offensive lineup through the 2019 Super Bowl-winning campaign. Later in 2021, the New York Jets took him up for a couple of seasons. And then he decided to retire at the age of 32. 

During these seven years, Duvernay-Tardif appeared in 73 games and made 65 starts. However, he scored only one solo tackle in all those regular season games. That’s because he played the right guard. After all, it’s a position that focuses on blocking and protecting the quarterback instead of racking up numbers. 

Now that he has officially cleared his final academic and residency hurdles, Dr. Duvernay-Tardif is ready to tackle his lifelong calling. His successful transition from a Super Bowl champion to a fully licensed physician cements his legacy as one of the most remarkable and inspiring figures in modern NFL history.