Gable Steveson is as athletic as it comes, which is why without playing a significant snap of football before 2024, he has signed a three-year contract with the Buffalo Bills.
Steveson will trade in title belt bouts for one-on-one battles with offensive linemen in 2024. The one-time up-and-coming WWE wrestler was one of many wrestlers released from their contract by WWE in May. At the time it appeared he was a part of a restructure to WWE, but it could be that Steveson chose to pursue a new career in a sport he hasn’t played at a high level, by trying to play it at the highest level possible.
Some athletes can transcend their chosen sport and pick up any other at the drop of a hat and it appears Steveson is one of those elite athletes that can compete with the best. It doesn’t hurt his chances of making the transition when wrestling is often used for younger players to help learn techniques they translate to football.
Now consider that Steveson has trained with the best wrestling coaches in the world between his time with Ken Anderson, and the WWE Performance Center. This helps explain why Steveson hasn’t looked like he has never played football before. Playing defense should come naturally to the lifetime grappler whose success has been predicated on attacking an opponent and using his speed, and strength to disable them and take them down. Now he can use his athletic ability to “people’s elbow” the passer and body slam ball carriers.
The intriguing thing about this transition for Steveson is right now, more than ever before it seems, there are alternative options that Stevenson can pursue if the Bills opt to release him at any point. Between the UFL, CFL, LFA, ELF, GFL, and all the indoor football leagues if all he needs is experience and film that could be an option for the 24-year-old former gold medalist.
At 6’1 265 pounds he certainly fits the bill size-wise. In college he wrestled at 285 pounds, we could see him add some of that weight back and play more inside as well. With a collective record of 107-6 all-time. The 24-year-old may have taken a roundabout path but he could be a high-upside developmental prospect for the Bills, a team that can certainly afford a strike if they’re swinging for the fences.
Perhaps someday the NFL should consider adding a practice squad exemption for players transitioning from other sports. We all know the stories of Antonio Gates, or Brock Lesnar, but there are lesser known stories like Jordan Mailata, Jarryd Hayne, or Hayden Smith. These stories would be much more likely if the league allowed an extra roster spot for this.
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