New York Jets sign Canadian offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to active roster
The New York Jets have added Canadian offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to their active roster, the team announced on Wednesday.
The six-foot-six, 320-pound blocker took a brief hiatus from the NFL to start this season in order to complete a portion of his residency in Quebec, remaining on track for his post-football career. He joined the Jets last month and spent three weeks on the practice roster.
The native of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que. was selected in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of McGill. He has played 68 games over six seasons in the league, helping the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV in February 2020. He was traded to New York mid-way through the 2021 season, starting eight games down the stretch.
The medical doctor opted out of the 2020 NFL season to dedicate his time to his patients. The Chiefs reached the Super Bowl again in his absence, falling to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In addition to working as an orderly in a long-term care facility in Quebec, Duvernay-Tardif served on the NFLPA’s COVID-19 task force in order to ensure a safe return to play for his fellow players and launched the Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Foundation with his longtime girlfriend, Florence, to ensure both physical activity and creativity are a part of a child’s development and educational success.
The 31-year-old has been recognized several times for his tremendous work and personal sacrifice. He was a co-recipient of the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete, ESPN’s Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian of the Year, one of Sports Illustrated’s 2020 Sportspersons of the Year, nd his lab coat was on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Jets currently sit third in the AFC East with a 7-5 record. Mike White recently took over the starting duties from former second overall NFL draft selection Zach Wilson and has thrown for 684 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions over two starts with a 1-1 record.
