The Bills have made an intrigue addition to their offseason roster. The team announced on Firday that Olympic gold medal wrestler Gable Steveson has been signed. He will aim to make the jump to the NFL as a defensive lineman. 
Steveson enjoyed a decorated career at Minnesota, winning three conference championships and a pair of national titles. He was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 2022, and twice took home the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top wrestler. The 24-year-old won gold at the Tokyo Olympics for freestyle wrestling. He joins seventh-round rookie Travis Clayton (a former rugby player drafted in the seventh round in 2024) as a player aiming to lock down a roster spot via an unusual route.
“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,” Steveson said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). “I am grateful to [head coach] [Sean] McDermott, [general manager] Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills organization for giving me this opportunity.”
Steveson’s agent indicated a recent workout with the Bills led to interest from other NFL teams as well. He has elected to sign with Buffalo, though, a team with a coach (McDermott) who has a background as a high school champion wrestler. The Bills will use the remainder of the offseason to begin what will be a steep development process likely involving time on the practice squad during the 2024 season.
Steveson will attempt to join the likes of Lam Jones and James Jett as athletes who won Olympic gold before playing in the NFL (although the latter two did so as sprinters). Longtime Cowboys wideout Bob Hayes – a member of the United States Olympic Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame – is the only athlete to win both an Olympic gold and a Super Bowl to date.
In a corresponding move, the Bills released punter Matt Haack. The veteran served as Buffalo’s punter during the 2021 season before moving on to the Colts the following year. He returned this offseason, but today’s move will leave him on the move once again. Veteran Sam Martin and undrafted rookie Jack Browning remain in place as the team’s punting options moving forward.