Chiefs guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is a lot of things. He’s an NFL player, obviously. He covered the 2018 Olympics as a correspondent for Radio-Canada. On Tuesday, he’ll add medical doctor to his resume.
Chiefs OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif wants to put ‘M.D.’ on his jersey. He totally should
If you make it through med school while also playing in the NFL, you should be able to put whatever you want on your jersey.
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Duvernay-Tardif wants his Chiefs jersey to reflect that last accomplishment.
“I want to put Duvernay-Tardif M.D. on my jersey,” Duvernay-Tardif said, via Aaron Rose of the Kansas City Star. “I’ve already started a conversation with the league office and they say that anything is possible.”
Here’s what the jersey would look like, courtesy of our friends at Arrowhead Pride:
The league did change the rules in 2012 to allow players to add generational titles — like Sr., Jr., or in the case of Robert Griffin III, a Roman numeral — to the back of their jerseys. But Chad Johnson had to legally change his name to Ochocinco to get that moniker on his jersey. So it will be interesting to see what they decide on Duvernay-Tardif.
Duvernay-Tardif has spent the last seven years in medical school at Montreal’s McGill University. He’s poised to take his medical exam and graduate in May.
“I need to make sure I pass it because it’s the last year I’m allowed to pass that exam,” he said. “After that, I’d have to start over the whole thing.”
He’s using his medical experience as well as his athletic background to connect with Olympic athletes while he covers the games for Radio-Canada. But Duvernay-Tardif said trying to get time with the athletes has also taught him a lesson that will impact the way he interacts with media covering the Chiefs.
“It makes you realize that once the journalists get to you, you need to be kind because they work hard in order to get there,” Duvernay-Tardif said.
After he graduates from med school, the next goal on his list is a Pro Bowl nod.
“If I make it to the Pro Bowl in the same year that I graduate from medicine … and win the Super Bowl, then I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Duvernay-Tardif said. “All my goals will be accomplished.”
If you can get through med school successfully while playing in the NFL, you should be able to put any name you want on the back of your jersey. I’d probably go with something less subtle, like, “THAT’S DR. DUVERNAY-TARDIF TO YOU,” but if Duvernay-Tardif wants to go with “Duvernay-Tardif M.D.” then the league should honor that.
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