Laurent Duvernay-Tardif putting NFL career on hold again

MONTREAL (AP) — Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is putting his NFL career on hold — again. The 31-year-old Canadian offensive lineman told The Canadian Press on Wednesday that he will begin a residency program at a Montreal-area hospital next month. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif has been an unrestricted NFL free agent since March after finishing last season with the New York Jets. He said he’s not retiring from football, just taking care of medical requirements needed to become a physician. Shortly after helping the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl in February 2020, Duvernay-Tardif became the first NFL player to opt out of the following season, leaving the team to battle the COVID-19 pandemic working at a Montreal long-term care facility.