Duvernay-Tardif has been working to meet his requirements to become a doctor in the offseason, and has spent this summer working at a clinic in his native Canada. He said the experience helped him decide that if he was going to take risks with his health, it would be to help patients dealing with the virus.
“This is one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make, but I must follow my convictions and do what I think is right for me personally,” Duvernay-Tardif said in his Twitter announcement. “That is why I have decided to take the option of exclusion.”
The NFL and its players’ association agreed earlier Friday an exclusion clause for next season. Those who choose voluntarily will receive a stipend of $ 150,000 and those with medical exclusion will receive $ 350.00 in lieu of their contractual salary, two people with knowledge of the decisions told The Associated Press. People spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the stipend amount was not disclosed.
The deadline to unsubscribe is August 3, but Duvernay-Tardif made the decision before the Chief veterans arrived at the camp.
“Being on the front line during this offseason has given me a different perspective on this pandemic and the stress it places on people and our health system,” said Duvernay-Tardif. “I cannot afford to potentially transmit the virus in our communities simply to play the sport I love.”
Chiefs incumbent RG @LaurentDTardif is the first NFL player to terminate his contract due to COVID-19. Duvernay-Tardif will not play this year and instead will continue to work as an assistant in a long-term care facility in Canada, helping to combat COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/QBpKCHaFUV
– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2020
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The Chiefs welcomed the rookies to training camp earlier this week, though most of their time was spent undergoing tests for COVID-19 and routine physicals. Veterans like Duvernay-Tardif were expected to arrive in the coming days.
Duvernay-Tardif, 29, was relatively unknown when the Chiefs selected him in the sixth round of the 2014 McGill University draft, which plays at a level in Canada roughly equal to Division III in the US But his Intelligence allowed him to quickly pick up coach Andy Reid’s playbook, and he spent a year learning the ropes, and developing strength and more experience, propelling him into the starting lineup the following season.
Duvernay-Tardif played well enough by starting 27 of his next 30 games that he won a four-year, $ 42.36 million contract in February 2017. He would have paid him a base salary of $ 2.75 million this season with a bonus of $ 750,000.
Duvernay-Tardif has dealt with a number of injuries since signing the deal. He fractured his fibula in Week 5 of the 2018 season and was out until the playoffs, and missed two games with injuries during last season’s Super Bowl race.
He played every offensive attack in the playoffs, helping the Chiefs win the San Francisco 49ers for the title.
The Chiefs signed most of their team free agents, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive tackle Chris Jones signed monstrous contracts over the summer, as they tried to retrieve the team intact. They had 20 of 22 attack and defense starters returning before Duvernay-Tardif announced their decision to opt out.
“Given the global health crisis we are currently experiencing, the NFL and NFLPA have agreed on major health and safety protocols to protect players. I have no doubt in my opinion, the Chiefs medical staff has put together a robust plan to minimize “Health risks associated with COVID-19, but some risks will remain,” he said. “I want to thank everyone at the Kansas City Chiefs organization for their support and understanding.”
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AP professional soccer writers Barry Wilner and Rob Maaddi contributed.
Copyright © 2020 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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