Gable Steveson returning to collegiate wrestling for final season

Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion Gable Steveson is going back to his roots.

Steveson is returning to the University of Minnesota wrestling team for his fifth and final season of NCAA eligibility, head coach Brandon Eggum announced Tuesday.

Steveson is expected to make his 2024-25 season debut Nov. 24.

"First, I would like to thank the University of Minnesota for their time, their effort, and their persistence with me to push me to the man I am today," Steveson said, according to a release. "Minnesota has given me everything, and now it's my turn to give it right back to them: to put my feet back on the wrestling mat, to be the champ, one more time."

The 24-year-old had one year of collegiate eligibility left because of a COVID-19 waiver the NCAA granted to student-athletes in 2021. His most recent collegiate match took place in March 2022.

Steveson's move back to collegiate wrestling comes after a brief stint in the NFL.

Steveson signed with the Buffalo Bills in May with no prior professional football experience. He played three preseason games with the team at the defensive tackle position, participating in 43 total snaps and tallying four pressures, one solo tackle, and two tackle assists. The Bills waived Steveson before the start of the regular season.

Steveson spent three years as a pro wrestler in the WWE's developmental program before he crossed over to the NFL. The WWE released him earlier this year.

He's also spent some time training in MMA, most recently alongside UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones as Jones prepares to fight Stipe Miocic at UFC 309.

Steveson is widely considered one of the greatest collegiate wrestlers of all time. He captured back-to-back NCAA Division I championships at 285 pounds in 2021 and 2022. He also claimed the gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.