Buffalo Bills Sign Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson as Raw Defensive Tackle

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Minnesota, USA United States of America
Buffalo Bills signed Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson as defensive tackle
Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott believes Steveson has potential to make impact
Confident in wrestling skills translating to football
Expected to play defensive line, first time wearing cleats was at Bills workout
No football experience, only had brief stint in WWE before release
Steveson won gold medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics in super heavyweight category
Two-time NCAA Division I national champion, won Dan Hodge Trophy for top college wrestler
Buffalo Bills Sign Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson as Raw Defensive Tackle

Buffalo Bills Sign Olympic Gold Medalist Wrestler Gable Steveson as Defensive Tackle

The Buffalo Bills have signed Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson to attempt making the team as a defensive tackle, despite having no experience in football.

Steveson, who won the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a super heavyweight (125 kg) at age 21, had a brief stint in professional wrestling's WWE before being released in May 2022. He is also a two-time NCAA Division I national champion and won the Dan Hodge Trophy, awarded to the nation's top college wrestler.

The Bills expressed interest in Steveson after his WWE release and brought him in for a visit two weeks ago. The team announced his signing on Friday.

Steveson is expected to play defensive line, something he has never done before during his athletic career. The first time he ever put on a pair of cleats was at a recent workout for the Bills.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott, who has a championship high school wrestling background, wanted Steveson to play defensive line and believes he has the potential to make an impact. The Bills were impressed with his level of talent but also know how raw he is, making him a potential ideal practice squad candidate in 2024.

Steveson's signing comes after the Bills drafted former English rugby player Travis Clayton in the seventh round of the NFL Draft last month. Clayton, who is projected to play offensive line, also has no prior football experience.

Despite his lack of football experience, Steveson is confident that his wrestling skills will translate to the gridiron. He said in a statement released by his agent: '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. I am grateful to Coach McDermott, [general manager] Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills organization for giving me this opportunity.'

Steveson's signing marks another unusual move by the Bills, who have a history of taking chances on unconventional players. In 2019, they signed former high school quarterback Jake Fromm as an undrafted free agent and he went on to make the team as a backup quarterback. In 2018, they signed former Canadian Football League player Trent Murphy as a linebacker and he made the Pro Bowl in his first season with the team.



Confidence

81%

Doubts
  • How well will Steveson's wrestling skills translate to football?

Sources

100%

  • Unique Points
    • Steveson had brief stint in WWE before being released in May 2022
    • Steveson won gold medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a super heavyweight (125 kg) at age 21
    • Steveson is a two-time winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy, awarded to nation’s top college wrestler
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

  • Unique Points
    • The Buffalo Bills signed Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson on Friday.
    • Gable Steveson won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 125 kg division.
    • Steveson joins another player without prior football experience, Travis Clayton, who was drafted by the Bills last month.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains a few informal fallacies and an appeal to authority. It mentions Gable Steveson's wrestling achievements without specifying how these translate to football skills. The author quotes the Bills coach's past wrestling experience but does not make clear if this is relevant to Steveson's signing. Lastly, it highlights the player's unique background and accomplishments in wrestling, potentially implying an unfair advantage.
    • . . .Steveson won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 125 kg division.
    • At 21, Gable Steveson became the youngest freestyle wrestler to win gold as a super heavyweight at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
    • He then went on to win two college national titles at Minnesota in 2021 and '22, and twice was named winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s best college wrestler.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

  • Unique Points
    • Gable Steveson signed with the Buffalo Bills to attempt making the team as a defensive tackle despite having no experience in football
    • Steveson was released by WWE earlier this month
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

  • Unique Points
    • Gable Steveson signed with the Buffalo Bills to attempt making the team as a defensive tackle
    • Steveson had a brief stint in professional wrestling's WWE before being released in May 2022
    • Steveson won gold medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a super heavyweight (125 kg) at age 21
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

  • Unique Points
    • The Buffalo Bills signed Olympic gold medalist wrestler Gable Steveson as a defensive tackle.
    • Gable Steveson considered returning to collegiate wrestling or staying with WWE before signing with the Bills.
    • Buffalo expressed interest in Steveson after his WWE release and brought him in for a visit two weeks ago.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it mentions the Bills coach Sean McDermott being a two-time national high school wrestling champion and his support of college wrestling. This does not directly prove that Steveson's skills will translate to football, but rather that McDermott has a personal interest in wrestling. No other fallacies were found.
    • The move is reminiscent of when the Patriots in 2001 signed world champion wrestler Stephen Neal... The two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American did not play any football at Cal State Bakersfield, but did at least play in high school. He spent nine seasons with the Patriots.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication