Bills HC Sean McDermott shines on the traits and work ethic of Olympic gold medalist DT

There are times when Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott just can’t help himself. Having the opportunity to recruit an Olympic gold medal freestyle wrestler was one of those moments.

McDermott – who has spoken often throughout his career about his adoration for amateur wrestling and the qualities it engenders in his competitors – hosted former US Olympian Gable Steveson during a free agent visit to One Bills Drive last month. The visit, on the surface, made sense; McDermott is an avid supporter of amateur wrestling and Steveson is one of the most dominant wrestlers of the modern era, complementing his Olympic gold medal with an incredible collegiate record of 85-2.

The only problem?

Steveson has never played football at any level.

In fact, the first time the 24-year-old laced up a pair of cleats was during his free agent visit. Despite Steveson’s inexperience, Buffalo decided to make a move on him, signing him to a three-year contract shortly after his visit. The 6-foot-1, 265-pound athlete will play the role of defensive tackle for the team.

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McDermott spoke to reporters about Steveson before Tuesday’s mandatory minicamp practice, walking them through the admittedly different process of signing a player. who has never played football before. He again leaned on his passion for wrestling in his explanation while emphasizing that Steveson’s development is a daily process.

“I think a few things, one of which is I’m a big believer in wrestlers, the skills you develop in wrestling and how those can transfer to becoming a really good soccer player, especially among the groups of offensive line and defensive line positions,” McDermott said. “I never played football, not even in high school, it’s a little different. It’s a little unique, so there’s still work to be done starting from scratch and then trying to build every day.

“He worked extremely hard with our defensive line coaches and coach (Bobby) Babich as well. It’s just a daily improvement. Again, this is new. I tried to compare it to some coaches who haven’t wrestled and I said it’s like trying, in wrestling, to put on an ankle tape when you’re just going to the scorer’s table, and we’re not even struggling yet. They didn’t even report it. It’s a bit of a new world for him.

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Defensive coordinator Bobby Babich echoed a similar sentiment toward Steveson during last week’s minicamp, saying the team was starting from scratch with tackling. That said, the defender’s traits are objective; you don’t go undefeated in your final three collegiate seasons – and win an Olympic gold medal – without being an elite athlete. McDermott talked about some of the traits he saw in Steveson during his training, implying that his attributes are intriguing enough to try to develop into something special.

“I think more than anything about speed, burst, power,” McDermott said. “All you can say in a little practice is the things you’re trying to identify from a defensive line standpoint, in this case. We were going through it and some things made sense in training and some things didn’t, so I just tried to put things in wrestling terms, a little bit, some of the overlapping moves, if you will. Maybe it helped a little, maybe not. Again, he worked hard.

Steveson’s path to a potential roster spot in Buffalo is incredibly steep, but it starts at minicamp. He projects more likely as an immediate practice squad candidate for the team with the potential to contribute in 2025.