An Olympic champion and wrestling star in the NFL? The Buffalo Bills have made a remarkable move by signing Gable Steveson, the 2021 Tokyo gold medalist in freestyle wrestling. The franchise, which was last represented in the Super Bowl in 1993, confirmed this on Friday. Steveson (24) is slated to play defensive tackle and will receive a three-year rookie contract.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to compete at the highest level in my sport. But now I’m looking forward to the challenge of seeing how my wrestling skills translate to football,” Steveson said.

He won Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling in the 125 kg weight class almost three years ago. Steveson then moved into the entertainment business and signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where his older brother Bobby also appears. Gable Steveson was released in May.

It remains to be seen whether Steveson will actually play in the strongest football league in the world: Only 53 players per team survive the so-called roster cut at the end of August. At the start of pre-season preparation, significantly more players are involved and try to recommend themselves for the league squad