Super Bowl LIV is just around the corner… And when they appear to play against the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs will have a “Made In Montreal” secret weapon on their side. His name is Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (LDT) and we think you should definitely know a little bit more about this impressive young man.
LDT was drafted as an offensive tackle in 2014 by the Chiefs, under a four-year, USD $2.34-million contract. On the football field, he has the strategically important job of protecting the quarterback from hits when his team is trying to gain yards and score points and touchdowns. Accessing such a lucrative and prestigious position would be a dream come true for many young men, but LDT didn’t let it slow his other ambitions.
Becoming an NFL player is rare for Canadians, but LDT has several other equally impressive achievements under his belt. Just 28, he has already graduated from medical school at McGill. He’ll be the first-ever medical doctor to play in a Super Bowl on Sunday. He was already in his third year of medicine when he was drafted by the Chiefs, and with his coach’s approval, he used his spare time during off-seasons to complete the degree.
As if that weren’t enough, LDT also has media experience, having worked as a feature reporter for CBC during the 2018 Winter Olympics. He also has a side hustle working with the developers of Shockbox, a device that measures the impact received by football helmets during play. It is hoped that this research will serve to better understand and prevent concussions in football.
Oh, by the way, LDT was also made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec.
Whether or not you follow football, we’re willing to bet that Montreal will be rooting for the Chiefs and their made-in-MTL star Laurent Duvernay-Tardif!
