Breaking; Bills Sign U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist in Surprise Roster Move
Gable Steveson, the wrestling champion, has been offered an opportunity by the Buffalo Bills to transition from Olympics to NFL.
On May 31, the team declared that they had enlisted the former wrestling champion who drew attention from various NFL teams following his exit from WWE. Steveon, notwithstanding his lack of experience in football will be given an opportunity to prove himself as a defensive lineman for Bills.
A corresponding roster move led to the Bills releasing punter Matt Haack, as announced.
Bills Land Heavyweight
On May 15, Steveson was tried out by the Bills and according to Ryan Talbot from Syracuse.com, he had already visited other teams prior.
According to Talbot’s post on X, the #Bills decided to schedule a visit with Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson after originally not making contact.
Although the team’s roster was complete and there were two weeks between his visit and signing, Steveson still managed to surprise everyone with his addition to the team.
For a considerable period, the Bills had been keeping track of Steveson. In August 2021, in an interview with Justin Barrasso from Sports Illustrated, the wrestler disclosed that he was contacted by one of the team’s recruiters; nonetheless, Steveson eventually chose to sign with WWE.
Steveson stated that numerous outstanding organizations and teams have offered opportunities, including a scout from the Bills and a connection with the Ravens. As he travels around the world with his Olympic gold medal, Steveson acknowledges that deciding on his next step will be critical. He intends to take some time off to relax before making any decisions regarding his future plans.
According to Nick Shook from NFL.com, Steveson achieved three All-American titles while studying at the University of Minnesota. In addition, he claimed a gold medal in freestyle wrestling during the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo a year later than scheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic. Although deemed slightly small for his position by Shook, Steveson’s superior athleticism could compensate for this perceived disadvantage.
Shook reported that Steveson, who stands at 6-foot-1 and was previously a heavyweight wrestler in college with a weight limit of 285 pounds, is currently listed as weighing only 265 pounds. This puts him on the lighter side for an interior defensive lineman. However, if he were to gain another 20 pounds, his physical measurements would be similar to Aaron Donald’s. It remains unclear how much Steveson weighs presently.
Bills Going Off the Beaten Path
The Bills are unafraid to seek talent outside the realm of football, as evidenced by their selection of Travis Clayton in the seventh round. The former British boxing and rugby star is participating in the league’s International Player Pathway Program.
Zed Williams, a local professional lacrosse player from Buffalo, was invited to attend the rookie minicamp by the team. Although he did not secure a contract at this event, he expressed gratitude for being given such an opportunity.
Williams admitted that he still has much to learn, clarifying “To be frank with you, I haven’t played football since high school. As many of you are aware, my background is in lacrosse; therefore there’s a considerable amount of catching up and learning for me. My main priority currently is absorbing knowledge as quickly as possible.”
Former wide receiver Chris Hogan, who was the first player to participate in both a professional lacrosse league and the NFL , is among several multi-sport athletes hired by The Bills.
