⁍ Laurent Duvernay-Tardif opted out of the upcoming NFL season due to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
⁍ Duvernay-Tardif, the league’s only active player who is a medical doctor, spent the summer working at a clinic in his native Canada.
⁍ The NFL and its players’ union agreed on changes to the 2020 collective bargaining agreement on Friday.
– Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif on Friday opted out of the upcoming NFL season due to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming the first player to announce his decision to skip the new campaign. Duvernay-Tardif, the league’s only active player who is a medical doctor, spent the summer working at a clinic in his native Canada, reports Reuters. “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 believe is right,” the 29-year-old wrote on Twitter. “That is why I have decided to take the opt-out option.” “Being at the frontline during this offseason has given me a different perspective on this pandemic and the stress it puts on individuals and our healthcare system,” added Duvernay-Tardif, who started 14 games for the Super Bowl champions last season. “I cannot allow myself to potentially transmit the virus in our communities simply to play the sport that I love. If I am to take risks, I will do it caring for patients.” Duvernay-Tardif did not specify whether he would continue working in the clinic during the season.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-football-nfl/chiefs-duvernay-tardif-first-player-to-skip-season-over-covid-19-idUSKCN24Q0AR