The Buffalo Bills haven’t had an ideal off-season. They traded star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans and per the official Bills website, Bleacher Report stressed that “this draft class might not make Buffalo better than it was a year ago,” despite ensuring they can be AFC East favorites. Now, the Bills’ recent acquisition of Gable Steveson as a defensive tackle has added to this scrutiny of the team’s roster.

Many fans and experts are skeptical regarding the player’s exposure to a technical sport like football. ESPN reported that his recent workout with the team marked the first time he ever laced up a pair of cleats. He becomes the second player without past football experience Buffalo has added to its roster this offseason, joining former English rugby player Travis Clayton. Adding to this list of apprehension and criticism was none other than former WWE star Cameron Grimes (Trevor Lee).

Reposting Schefter’s post of how “Gable Steveson, an Olympic gold medalist and one of the most dominant college wrestlers in NCAA history, is signing with the Bills, per his agent Carter Chow, Lee shared an unfiltered opinion concerning the recent addition of Steveson. He said, “Bill slowly creeping back into a poverty franchise” and when Kazeem Famuyide asked the question “Uh…what position he playing? lol,” Grimes replied with a tweet, “Whichever one requires the least amount of work and has other people make him look good, I’m assuming? Wait, wrong sport…”

Steveson recently exited WWE and at the age of 21, during the Tokyo Olympics, he became the youngest freestyle wrestler to win a gold medal as a super heavyweight. His accomplishments in the field of wrestling have been many including the Dan Hodge Trophy, given to the nation’s best college wrestler. However, his accolades haven’t impressed many analysts concerning the addition made by the Bills.

Also, Lee’s biting commentary echoes wrestling insider Dave Meltzer’s assessment that Steveson “wasn’t cutting it.” Steveson’s influence was evident during dark matches with Lee before WWE SmackDown episodes. Of Steveson’s 17 matches, only one was televised, and he wasn’t booked to win. Steveson faces a new challenge as he dons the Bills’ uniform: proving himself on the football gridiron.

In a candid ESPN interview, the new NFL enterer acknowledged the massive challenge ahead, stating, “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.” And if there’s one thing this Olympic champion knows, it’s how to defy the odds and silence the doubters.

Can Gable Steveson follow in Bob Hayes’ legendary footsteps?

While Steveson’s path may seem uncharted, he’s following in the footsteps of a true sports icon – Bob Hayes. The “Bullet,” as he was affectionately known, accomplished the unthinkable feat of winning an Olympic gold medal in 1964 and a Super Bowl ring in 1972, cementing his status as one of the greatest dual-sport athletes in history.

At the 1964 Tokyo Games, Hayes put on a show for the ages, blasting to gold in the 100m dash with a world record time of 10.06 seconds. Though he claimed gold in the individual race, it is his jaw-dropping anchor leg at the Kokuritsu Kyōgijō that is still remembered. Estimates peg his split time anywhere from a blistering 8.5 to 8.9 seconds for the 100m distance – a mark that remains the fastest relay leg in athletics history to this day.

Just months later, Hayes traded his spikes for cleats, joining the Dallas Cowboys as a WR and revolutionizing the game of football with his otherworldly speed. According to Cowboys brass, his pace was “beyond belief,” leaving cornerbacks grasping at air as he torched defenses. Hayes’ impact was so profound that it ushered in the era of zone coverage, as man-to-man simply couldn’t contain his blazing wheels.

Can Steveson follow in those legendary footsteps? While Olympians like Jim Thorpe made the jump from Olympic glory to the NFL, the transition proved challenging, and sustained success eluded them. It’s an uphill battle, for sure, but one this Olympic champion seems eager to embrace. The Bills, known for their affinity for wrestlers under the tutelage of Coach McDermott, are betting big on Steveson’s raw athleticism and power to make an impact on the defensive line. It’s a long shot, no doubt, but one that could pay massive dividends if the wrestling phenom can harness his talents on the football field.