Olympic champion Gable Steveson is leaving the mat and switching from wrestling to football. The American, gold medalist in the heavyweight division at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games, has signed a three-year contract with the NFL club Buffalo Bills.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to compete at the highest level in my sport, but I’m looking forward to the challenge of seeing how my wrestling skills translate to football,” said Steveson. It’s an honor to be given this opportunity. The 24-year-old, who has also been active in wrestling in recent years, will play as a defensive tackle.
Steveson could become the second Olympic champion to win the Super Bowl. Bob Hayes, who also triumphed in Tokyo (1964) as a track and field athlete, won the NFL title with the Dallas Cowboys in 1972. Hayes died in 2002; at the Summer Games in Japan he won gold in the 100 m and 4×100 m.
Steveson is not the first player to change sport for the dream of an NFL career. Most recently, top Welsh rugby talent Louis Rees-Zammit (23) signed with Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs. The lightning-fast “Rees-Lightning” is expected to play the running back position in the future.
2024-06-01 18:08:13
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