Andy Reid is ‘so happy and proud’ of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is “so happy and proud” of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.

The decision forced Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid to face yet another question as the team prepares to defend their first Super Bowl title in 50 years. The head coach still says he’s “so happy and proud” of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif anyway.

This week, Duvernay-Tardif, the Chiefs starter at right guard, released a statement on Twitter saying he would be opting out of the upcoming season due to COVID-19. The global pandemic has affected us all, and a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the entire sport even as the NFL attempts to move forward as scheduled. In the face of the pandemic, the league has given players an August 3 deadline to decide if they want to play or opt out. Duvernay-Tardif made his call.

In his statement, Duvernay-Tardif, who is also a medical doctor, stated that he would be helping to serve patients on the front line against the global pandemic. It’s because of this sacrifice of both fame, money, and potential health that Reid stated he was so proud of his offensive lineman.

Reid spoke to reporters in a media session from the opening of Chiefs training camp on Friday and addressed the subject:

"“[Doctors are] givers, they’re not takers, they’re givers and they’re healers. They want the best for you. Larry has that quality. And you’re seeing it to the utmost, here. I just think it’s tremendous dedication to his profession, what his future’s gonna be and mainly to the people that he gets to help. My heart goes out to him. I had a great talk with him, great visit with him. His players support him. The veteran players support him, the coaches support him,” Reid said. “I’m so happy and proud.”"

The Chiefs restructured Duvernay-Tardif’s contract earlier this offseason to create cap space, which pushed more money into the final two seasons of the deal. That lowered his current cap hit to $5.5 million. Instead, Duvernay-Tardif will pocket $150K for this year before returning back on his long-term deal in 2021—assuming all of that plays out as expected.

In the interim, the Chiefs will look to replace Duvernay-Tardif along the offensive front with an internal candidate—perhaps Andrew Wylie or Mike Remmers—or they could go with the newly signed Kelechi Osemele. Either way, it’s a decision that Reid is content to deal with given the sacrifice that his player is making.