(WSVN) – A former Dolphins player tried his hand at a new kind of sport since his retirement.
Terry Kirby, former NFL running back, is one of the top amateur cornhole throwers in the country.
“Growing up in Virginia, I always played horseshoes and I decided I needed a new challenge,” said Kirby, “so I decided I need a new challenge and that’s what I decided to do.”
Kirby spent 10 years in the football league, but for the past several years he spent hours, four days per week, sharpening his cornhole throwing skills.
“Most people think it’s about just getting the bag in the hole but it’s not, because you gotta be able to block,” Kirby said. “You gotta be able to roll some shots. You gotta be able to airmail, it’s a lot of strategy to it and it’s about points.”
The former football player took a liking to this game because he constantly learned how to better his technique. Most people practice their toss at a tailgate event or backyard parties.
Like any other game you want to get better at, Kirby said it’s all about putting in the work.
“It’s just like anything else when you try to go pro and you wanna be good at something, you gotta practice,” said the soon-to-be pro cornhole player. “You gotta be able to know when to go for the airmail, know when not to go for the airmail. [You have to] know when to block and you also gotta know your opponents.
Kirby is exceptionally close to participating in the official cornhole games. He would be the first NFL player to be a professional player in the American Cornhole League, potentially earning six figures.
“It’s a challenge,” said Kirby. “Now I’m looking forward to it. I didn’t realize that but now it’s one of those things that I don’t have a choice but to do it now.”
Some might think that cornhole is not a sport since it does not require any form of athletics, but Kirby said that a game that takes skill is worth the effort.
Since cornhole games can last hours, Kirby said he has a plan of his own to make each moment count. He explained how he acted among his fellow members in the preliminaries.
“Some guys have a strategy when they’re quiet, some guys, you know, it depends on who you’re playing,” Kirby mentioned. “Everybody is friends, just like football, you know, we hit each other and afterward we’re shaking hands.”
The renowned player will be earning his pro card in the ACL World Championships in August.
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