The Buffalo Bills are turning to the Olympics for some help. More specifically, they intend to sign Olympic gold medal wrestler Gable Steveson to a three-year NFL rookie contract, his agent told ESPN.
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Steveson will play on the defensive line, it seems.
"Steveson wrestled at the University of Minnesota, where he was a two-time winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy — college wrestling's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. He won the gold in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Summer Olympics, then returned to Minnesota, where he was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 2022 and won two national championships and three Big Ten titles during his career," wrote Jared Dubin of CBS Sports.
"The 24-year-old, who also wrestled in WWE from 2021 through 2024 before his release earlier this year, will play on the defensive line in Buffalo, via ESPN."
Stevenson is 6-foot-1 and 275 pounds. That's a little small for an interior lineman — hence the position being listed as "defensive tackle."
"I have been fortunate to compete at the highest level of competition in my sport but am looking forward to the challenge of seeing how my wrestling skills may translate to football," Steveson said. "I am grateful to Coach (Sean) McDermott, (general manager) Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills organization for giving me this opportunity."
If nothing else, you have to give the Bills some credit here for thinking outside the box. It can't hurt, right?
"If he can become even a rotational contributor, that's a win for both him and the Bills. Even if it's a long shot, there is little downside to taking a stab on a player with an interesting athletic background," Dubin wrote.
Gable Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist and one of the most dominant college wrestlers in NCAA history, is signing with the Bills, per his agent Carter Chow.
Steveson now will try to join Bob Hayes as the only athlete to win a Super Bowl ring and an Olympic gold medal. pic.twitter.com/TfJn4Cd7B1
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 31, 2024
