Gable Steveson's NFL journey has encountered a setback -- the Buffalo Bills just waived the former two-time national wrestling champion and Olympic gold medalist ahead of the 2024 season.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo broke the news on Tuesday ... saying the Bills opted to leave the developmental product off their initial 53-man roster, as all 32 teams need to get down to that number by 1 PM PST.
The 2020 Tokyo Games star signed a three-year deal with Buffalo this past May ... after he was released from the WWE, which he joined in 2021.
Steveson addressed the opportunity with the Bills at the time ... saying, "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."
"I am grateful to Coach [Sean] McDermott, [General Manager] Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills organization for giving me this opportunity."
Steveson did see some action this preseason ... playing in two games for the 2023 AFC East Champions. He totaled three tackles during his time on the field.
His journey is far from over ... as he can end up on the team's practice squad if he passes through waivers -- or he can sign with any other team once the waiver process is complete.