Kansas City Chiefs RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif became the first NFL player to opt-out of the season on Friday evening, choosing to stay in Canada working a long-term care facility to help out during the COVID-19 pandemic. As training camp opened in Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid spoke with the media. Both spoke out in support of Duvernay-Tardif’s decision.
“I think it surprises anyone, but at the same time you respect his decision,” Mahomes said during Saturday’s training camp press conference. “He’s a guy that has 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 to keep helping in that capacity. And I know it was difficult for him, but you respect the decision for him to kind of put his thoughts aside and kind of do what he thought was best to help out his community and the world as he sees it.”
Reid had nothing bad to say about Duvernay-Tardif and showed unwavering support for his decision and dedication to continue giving and healing in the wake of the current global health crisis.
“I’m a huge Laurent Duvernay-Tardif fan and I was also raised by a doctor,” Reid said. “So, I understand the dedication that it takes to be a doctor and we’re all blessed to have doctors in our lives. They’re givers, they’re not takers. They’re givers and they’re healers, so 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 and what his future is going to be and mainly to the people that he gets to help. My heart goes out to him. I had a great talk with him — a great visit with him. His players support him, the coaches support him. And we understand when football is over this is going to be one of the greatest doctors ever. We appreciate that.”
The guys throughout the Chiefs’ locker room all echo Mahomes’ sentiments on Duvernay-Tardif’s decision.
“From everybody that I’ve spoken to, everybody respects his decision 100 percent,” Mahomes said. “Larry’s a guy who loves football, but he also loves his other passions and being a doctor is extremely important, especially at this time that we’re at in this world. And so for him, I know it’s difficult for him, he wants to be out here with us, he wants to be a part of us, he wants to be a part of the guys. But at the same time, he wants to make sure he’s doing something to make the world a better place and I believe he is doing that. He’s seen it first-hand and he understands he has to be in that place now and we’re gonna respect it and give him as much support as we can.”
The team will miss Duvernay-Tardif’s presence in the locker room and on the field. He should find comfort knowing that he continues to have the support his teammates, coaches, and the entire Chiefs Kingdom behind him.
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