Kenny Vaccaro is best known to football fans as the former safety with the Texas Longhorns, New Orleans Saints, and Tennessee Titans. And while he’s still as competitive as ever, the 31-year-old is now part of a very different team. As the co-founder of a professional esports organization known as “Gamers First” (or “G1”), run from his headquarters and gym in Austin, TX, the athlete turned pro-gamer is taking the lessons he learned on the football field and applying them to the virtual arena.

M&F sat down with Kenny Vaccaro to find out how his background as an elite athlete gives G1 the edge over rival teams and soon found out that physical training is essential for building mental discipline for elite gamers, especially when the pressure is on.

Why do you think so many athletes enjoy playing games and esports?

I believe that athletes love gaming because it has become just as competitive as traditional sports. For many athletes it’s also a natural escape where you can focus on the task at hand and simply compete much like with football or basketball.

What were your first consoles and games?

I’ve been a gamer for even longer than I’ve played football, and I’ve always thought of myself as a gamer first, which is what inspired the name of our organization. When I was a kid, we didn’t have much while growing up, so gaming became my therapy. I vividly remember getting my first black and white Nintendo Game Boy! I played “Donkey Kong” and “Super…