Gophers' Gable Steveson on NFL career: 'This is personal to me'

Steveson wants to leave his mark with the Bills.

Wrestling star Gable Steveson shockingly signed a three-year rookie contract with the Buffalo Bills last month, after never having played football in his life, and he has recently begun practicing with the team and is determined to make his NFL career much more than a publicity stunt.

Steveson had a storied amateur wrestling career, winning an Olympic gold medal and two NCAA Division I National Championships. After trying a career with the WWE he has given football a shot, but he had never even put on football cleats before trying out for the Bills.

“I think a couple things, one of which is I’m a big believer in wrestlers, and what skills you develop in wrestling and how it can transfer to being a really good football player, especially among the offensive line and defensive line position groups,” Bills head coach McDermott said. “Having not played football ever—not even in high school—that’s a little bit different. That’s a little bit unique, so there’s more work to be done in terms of starting from scratch, from zero, and then trying to build each day."

Steveson is not the first wrestling standout to attempt a transition to football and he's not even the first Gophers wrestling legend to do so. Notably, Brock Lesnar was on the Minnesota Vikings' roster in 2004 following his first stint in the WWE, but he was cut from the team during preseason, so Steveson is trying to write a different story.

"This means a lot more, this is personal to me," Steveson told reporters this week. "I want to be the guy that makes it."

Still only 24 years old, many people floated around ideas about a professional MMA career for Steveson following his release from the WWE in May. He even stopped by the Miami Dolphins practice facility before signing a contract with the Bills.

"The Bills were the team since day one, they wanted to give me a chance, especially with Coach McDermott being a wrestling guy, but I don't think that's the reason that I am here," Steveson said. "The main reason I am here is because I showed up to that tryout and gave it my all and I wanted an opportunity to show you guys that I could be something and that's what this is about."

Buffalo is wrapping up its mandatory minicamp this week. Steveson is working with the defensive line and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich, who said that the team is starting at "ground zero" with his development. His journey to a roster spot with the Bills will take a lot of patience, but it seems like the Bills are willing to wait.