Gable Steveson, a 2020 Olympic gold medal wrestler and former WWE prospect, is set to be released from the Buffalo Bills roster after he attempted to make a career switch to play in the NFL.
NFL Network first reported the news as teams prepare to cut down to the 53-man roster required by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Without a single down of football experience prior to 2024, Steveson decided to try his hand at football as he followed in the footsteps of fellow University of Minnesota wrestling standout Brock Lesnar after he attempted a similar move during his career. Lesnar left WWE and worked out with the Minnesota Vikings during the preseason but ultimately he suffered the same fate with his release before eventually becoming one of the biggest stars in the UFC.
Steveson making the final roster was always a longshot considering his lack of experience but as a developmental prospect there’s a chance he could still get signed to a different roster or a practice squad as the NFL season gets underway in less than two weeks.
Prior to his attempt to play professional football, Steveson was widely considered one of the best wrestlers on the planet after he delivered a thrilling performance to capture gold with a last second takedown at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Following that win, Steveson returned to college where he crushed his competition before winning a second NCAA championship.
Even before his Olympic run, Steveson had expressed interest in potentially pursuing fighting or professional wrestling but he ultimately decided to sign with WWE after winning his gold medal. Unfortunately, Steveson never quite developed the way WWE had hoped and he was released from the roster in May.
That led to Steveson’s decision to switch to professional football where he played defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills and recorded three tackles during limited action on the field during the preseason.
Now Steveson, who is still only 24 years old, has been released from the Bills roster and it remains to be seen what he plans to do next in his career.
