KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After spending the 2020 season away from the game, Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is back, reflecting on his year of medical work at a long-term care facility in Canada and what he missed the most about the NFL.
"Being able to watch the Chiefs on Sunday is what was keeping me grounded,” LDT told reporters via Zoom video call following the team’s first mandatory minicamp practice.
#Chiefs Laurent Duvernay-Tardif back in Kansas City pic.twitter.com/gXyH1X0rn1
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladd0) June 15, 2021
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Duvernay-Tardif said said he helped "where help was needed" at the CHSLD Gertrude-Lafrance in Quebec, switching roles between orderly, nursing and more.
“It was tough,” he said. “We lost a lot of patients.”
In his absence – and hampered with injuries – the Chiefs offensive line was forced to mix and match for the majority of 2020. Culminating in an implosion in Super Bowl LV as the unit allowed an historic amount of pressure against Tampa Bay.
LDT said he watched the game by himself after a night shift at the facility.
“It was tough... of course you want your guys to win,” he said, adding the locker room will certainly use the loss as motivation.
With all gyms still under quarantine closures in his neighborhood, Duvernay-Tardif built a home gym to stay in shape. But the guard/tackle combo said he hadn’t strapped on a helmet since Kansas City’s Super Bowl LIV win in February 2020.
“We have a tremendous amount of depth this year…. I'm really excited to be able to contribute to this offense,” he said.
