Kenny Vaccaro retires to focus on esports organization

Kenny Vaccaro Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Safety Kenny Vaccaro retires from to focus on esports organization

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 12/1/21

It isn't uncommon for professional athletes to try their hand at different sports than the one they're originally known for.

Former New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans safety Kenny Vaccaro has put a spin on that practice, announcing his retirement from the NFL this week so he can focus on reinventing himself in the esports world.

"Technically I am still a free agent," Vaccaro told ESPN. "But this is where my mind has been the past six months. I'm happy where I'm at, doing what I'm doing. I just really felt like this was something deep down inside that I wanted to do."

ESPN adds that 30-year-old Vaccaro, who last played in 2020, received offers to play for multiple teams before ultimately deciding to turn all of his focus to his esports organization.

Retiring from the league, launching an esports team, and on Texas’s first large NIL board. Legend stuff. https://t.co/uVggga0Clv
— Radicalized Michael (@michaelpelech10) December 1, 2021

Vaccaro will reportedly run his esports organization from Austin, Texas, and plans to build it much like an NFL roster — but with an esports twist.

"I've been a gamer for even longer than I've played football, and I've always thought of myself as a gamer first," Vaccaro said.

Vaccaro was drafted 15th overall by the Saints in the 2013 NFL Draft. He ends his eight-year football career with 610 tackles, 35 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, 10 interceptions and 44 passes defended.

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