Several wrestlers have tried to parlay their success on the mat into an NFL career. Many are high school wrestlers turned professional football players, but others go further with their wrestling careers before turning to the gridiron.
That’s the story with the newest Buffalo Bills signee, Gable Steveson.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bills have signed Steveson to an NFL contract, adding him to their 90-man roster. Steveson has never played football above the high school level. But he is an Olympic gold medalist as a wrestler.
Steveson tried his hand in the WWE but was reportedly let go because he didn’t have the ‘It’ factor. Yet, football coaches have always been enamored with the 6-foot-1, 275-pound athlete. Back when he was wrestling for the University of Minnesota, head coach P.J. Fleck tried recruiting him to play some snaps along the defensive line, but it never came to fruition.
But the football interest didn’t stop there. According to Steveson’s agent, several NFL teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and the Bills, have contacted his client over the years.
Now Steveson will finally get that chance to see what he can do on a football field, where he’s projected to be a defensive tackle. The 24-year-old recently worked out for the Bills, in what was the first time he’s ever played defensive line, yet the coaching staff and front office must have liked what they saw.
If he’s successful, Steveson will have a chance to join Bob Hayes as the only other athlete to win a Super Bowl and an Olympic gold medal. But unlike Hayes, who was a Cowboys wide receiver who won with speed, Steveson will look to prove his mettle with his strength.
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