One of the longest-tenured Kansas City Chiefs players is getting a shot to be active for a game for the first time in 638 days.
Chiefs RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was last active for the team during Super Bowl LIV on February 2, 2020. The following season, Duvernay-Tardif became the first NFL player to opt out of the 2020 NFL season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He spent the year working in a long-term care facility outside of his hometown in Montreal, Quebec.
Returning to action for the Chiefs this season, Duvernay-Tardif suffered a hand injury during training camp that kept him out of action during the preseason. Rookie Trey Smith ultimately earned the starting role at the right guard position, where Duvernay-Tardif played for the entirety of his career in Kansas City.
Since the regular season started, Duvernay-Tardif has been a healthy scratch in seven consecutive games. He’s been with the organization for seven seasons, appearing in 60 games and starting in 57. Week 8 against the New York Giants will be Duvernay-Tardif’s first time active since that Super Bowl win back in 2020, but will he get a chance to play in the game?
Duvernay-Tardif’s name came up in trade talks back in August, so perhaps he gets some snaps during the game, even if only as an extra blocker. This could serve as an exhibition to show teams that he can still play even after his time away from the game. No matter what comes of Duvernay-Tardif being active on Monday night, it has to be exciting for him to suit up and get out there on the field with his teammates for a game again. It has been a long-time coming for the good doctor.
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