Kenny Vaccaro Retires, set to start Esports organization

The former Longhorns safety also wants to pursue a world championship in the first-person shooter game Halo

Kenny Vaccaro will use his post-NFL life to start an Esports organization named G1 — Gamers First — as the former Longhorn will retire from professional football.

Vaccaro, a former Pro Football Weekly All-American during his final season with Texas, hadn’t played a down of pro football this season after the Tennessee Titans cut him in the spring for salary cap purposes. Rather than continue to hunt for a new NFL job, Vaccaro is embarking on a new business in the expanding space of Esports.

Vaccaro and G1 released a statement via Twitter on Wednesday.

"This isn't a reflex decision for me; it's something I've thought about for a long time," Vaccaro said. "I've been a gamer for even longer than I've played football, and I've always thought of myself as a gamer first. So this is the realization of a long-term dream for me. And while football has been how many have defined me, G1 is evidence for other athletes as well that life doesn't end just because you put down the helmet. You can reinvent yourself."

According to NFL.com, Vaccaro intends to pursue a world Esports championship in the first-shooter game Halo.

The New Orleans Saints selected Vaccaro as the No. 15 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. After five seasons with the Saints, during which he was named to the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-Rookie Team, he played three more seasons with the Tennessee Titans. His NFL career included 110 games, with 109 starts, 610 tackles and 10 interceptions.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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