Former WWE wrestler Gable Steveson fails to make Buffalo Bills roster

At least for the moment, former WWE wrestler Gable Steveson has come up short in his long-shot bid to make it in the NFL.

Steveson was waived by the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday as the team cut down its roster to get to the 53-man limit. It remains to be seen whether he will end up part of the Bills’ practice squad. With no prior experience in football, it was unlikely that Steveson would make the team out of training camp. He was signed to the Bills as a defensive tackle in May.

“The #Bills are waiving DL Gable Steveson, source says,” NFL insider Mike Garafolo tweeted. “Former wrestler is a developmental prospect so this won’t be the end of the line for him, whether in Buffalo as a member of the practice squad or elsewhere.”

Steveson had never played football at any level prior to the three preseason games he appeared in for the Bills.

An Olympic gold medalist, Steveson was a star heavyweight amateur wrestler for the University of Minnesota. He signed with WWE in 2021 but only ever had one televised match, a poorly received showing against Baron Corbin at NXT Great American Bash 2023. Steveson was released from his WWE contract this May.