In a statement announcing the official launch of his esports organization, “Gamers First” (G1), former Tennessee Titans safety Kenny Vaccaro announced his retirement from the NFL.
In the release, it’s noted that Vaccaro did have offers from teams to play this season, but he wants to focus on his organization, of which he is one of the co-founders.
Part of the statement reads:
Former All-American strong safety Kenny Vaccaro, along with fellow entrepreneurs and professional gamers Hunter Swensson and Cody Hendrix, are excited to announce the launch of their new esports organization, G1 (also known as Gamers First). This next chapter of Vaccaro’s career also coincides with his retirement from professional football, where he spent eight seasons, most notably for the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints while competing in the National Football League (NFL).
Vaccaro says the decision to hang up his cleats and pursue esports is not a “reflex decision” but rather something he has “thought about for a long time.”
“This isn’t a reflex decision for me, it’s something I’ve thought about for a long time,” Vaccaro wrote. “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.”
Vaccaro, 30, was signed by the Titans in 2018 and spent three seasons with the team before being cut in 2021. He served as a key member of the defense that helped the Titans make it all the way to the AFC Championship Game during the 2019 season.
We wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavor.
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