As many Americans are learning these days, no job is truly “safe” anymore, so it’s wise to have some back-up plan or alternate skill set to turn to. Former professional football players are not exempt from this lesson, and with an NFL lockout looming, current stars may need to exercise their creativity as well. So what career paths naturally veer off the gridiron? The New York Times reported earlier this week on former pro and college football players who are turning to their more artistic side and finding success in the opera. Yes, the opera.

This career choice may surprise some, but former football players now in the operatic spotlight call the move from football to opera a natural one, noting parallels between the physical demands and mental acuity needed in both athletic and artistic performance. The Times quotes Lawrence Harris, former Houston Oilers lineman turned tenor: