In May 2014, at the age of only 26, the Mont-Saint-Hilaire native became the 10th Canadian—and first Quebecker—to be drafted by an NFL team. In his second season in Kansas City, the six-foot-five-inch 330-pound player earned the position of right guard on the team. He finished his third season this winter.

Passionate about both football and medicine, Laurent turned a deaf ear when counsellors and family members advised him to choose between sports and studies. And it proved to be the right choice! “It’s all about balance. Don’t give up on your passions!” he tells the young people he meets at the many talks he gives at schools.

Duvernay-Tardif played university football with the McGill Redmen (2010 to 2013) after his college career with the Phénix at Collège André-Grasset (2008-2009). Previously, he played three seasons with the Richelieu Pirates in Beloeil.

From the beginning of his career, he has been honoured with awards, both athletic and academic. He is a two-time winner of the Montreal Alouettes bursary, awarded in partnership with the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence du Québec, in 2009 and 2013. In January 2014, he played in the NCAA’s East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Florida, as part of an all-star team in which only two Canadians are invited to participate. He attracted the attention of NFL recruiters.

Already very involved in his community despite his grueling schedule, Laurent is driven by the desire to get young people excited about physical activity and promote healthy lifestyles. On June 20, 2016, between two shifts at a Montreal hospital, he got together with 150 students from three Montreal-area elementary schools at Percival Molson Stadium for a day dedicated to sports.

An avid sailor—he spent many summers as a camp counselor—and fan of contemporary art, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is as charismatic as he is physically imposing, and his future holds great promise. So keep your eye on number 76: Doc (as he is known to his teammates) has more than one trick up his sleeve.