Laurent Duvernay-Tardif of the Kansas City Chiefs is the first NFL player to choose not to participate in the season, and said Friday that he doesn’t want to risk passing on the virus just “to play the sport I love.”
Duvernay-Tardif, who has been working to meet his requirements to become a doctor in the offseason while working at a clinic in his native Canada, said in a statement posted on social media on Friday that the decision not to participate was difficult. .
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“This is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make in my life, but I must follow my convictions and do what I think is right for me personally,” said his statement. “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.”
He continued: “I cannot afford to potentially transmit the virus in our communities simply to practice the sport I love. If I’m going to take risks, I will take care of the patients. “
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The bosses selected Duvernay-Tardif in the sixth round of the 2014 McGill University draft. He started 27 of his next 30 games, earning him 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.
But the terms of an opt-out agreed upon by the NFL and the NFLPA means that you will only receive a stipend of $ 150,000. Players who choose not to participate for medical reasons will receive $ 350,000, sources told The Associated Press.
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.
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He played every offensive attack in the playoffs, helping the Chiefs win the San Francisco 49ers for the title.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
