He'll Pass: WWE Hall Of Famer Turned Down Role In AEW

He isn’t in. The rise of AEW has done all kinds of things for the wrestling industry, including opening a variety of spots for wrestlers to find work. This included current wrestlers as well as veterans who can play a different role in the company. It can be a great idea to have a veteran around and AEW tried to make that happen, but it wasn’t the case for one important reason.

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During a live signing with Captain’s Corner, WWE Hall Of Famer Ricky the Dragon Steamboat revealed that he turned down a role as a road agent with AEW. Steamboat said that it was not a reflection on AEW, which he called a “great company” and that the pay would have been great, but at this point in his life, he was trying to get off the road. Steamboat, 70, did appear for AEW in August 2022 as a guest timekeeper.

I’d call him a legend. Check out some of Steamboat’s in-ring career:

Opinion: I can understand the thinking from Steamboat, as he has done all kinds of things in his career and seems ready to calm things down a bit. At the very least, Steamboat was rather complimentary of AEW and seemed honored to have been considered, but there is nothing wrong with politely turning down a job offer. Steamboat has nothing to prove in wrestling, so why do something you don’t want to do if you don’t have to?