Minnesota sports fans should know the name Gable Steveson after the career he had at the University of Minnesota. It was a career that saw him become the most accomplished heavyweight wrestler in program history since Brock Lesnar.
He used that success to parlay it into a career in the WWE, but the company wants to take a different approach. The national champion wrestler was part of a recent string of cuts from the company, and he is weighing his career options.
One of those options seems to be the NFL.
Ariel Helwani, a combat sports reporter, reported on Monday that Steveson has ” multiple offers” from NFL teams. The move wouldn’t be the most extreme for him, as we have seen it before with another Golden Gophers wrestler.
Back in 2004, Brock Lesnar moved from the WWE to the NFL, was a part of the Minnesota Vikings training camp roster, and made it all the way to final cuts. He was offered a spot in NFL Europe but passed on it and pursued other athletic ventures.
This raises the question: Could Gable Steveson be a good addition to the Vikings? I say yes.
“Multiple NFL teams have reached out to Gable Steveson and he’s currently training MMA at @KillCliff_FC with Robbie Lawler.”
Seems like #Gophers legend @GableSteveson is weighing a lot of options.
🎥:(@MMAFighting/@arielhelwani)
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) May 8, 2024
The team has shown it is willing to take chances with high athleticism on the offensive and defensive lines. Steveson could be a fun project for the staff to work with on the defensive line alongside Levi Drake Rodriguez. At the very least it doesn’t hurt to give him a camp invite. His 6-1, 265-pound frame could be undersized, but he has shown he has great leverage, balance and footwork.
The Vikings should bring him in for a workout, see what he can do and make a decision then.
