For the last few offseasons, the Kansas City Chiefs have allowed one of their own to serve two masters. Offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif asked the team for the room to chase his medical education and the trust to believe he’d be ready when the team needed him the most.
It could have been a stressful situation, but Duvernay-Tardif has been a model citizen and player since he first landed with K.C. after being selected in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. As a developmental prospect, LDT should have required a singular focus to even make the team, but instead the Canadian import has excelled in the pros, earning a substantial extension from the Chiefs as he’s cemented the right guard spot for years.