WWE has decided to not renew Jerry Lawler’s broadcast contract, thus ending his on-screen run with the company that began back in 1992.
It has been revealed that Lawler’s contract with WWE expired at the beginning of 2024, although a WWE source has clarified that he is under a Legends deal with the company.
This on-screen departure comes as Lawler has been out of the public eye, focusing on his recovery from a stroke he suffered in February 2023.
In an interview with PWInsider, Lawler said the following about WWE not re-signing him to a new, regular talent contract:
“One other thing that a lot of people wonder about, my career has probably ended with the WWE and it’s just one of those things that goes with my getting over with all the stuff that happened with the stroke and it was my, my just sitting behind a desk and doing it, commentating on a match again was extremely difficult.”
On his podcast, current AEW commentator Jim Ross teased a reunion with his longtime friend:
“I felt bad about this week’s news about Lawler, my partner. You know, I don’t think that he and I have worked our last match together, I really don’t believe that. I think somewhere down the road, if nothing else it’ll be at an appearance.
You’ll notice he never wears his Hall of Fame ring. But he’ll wear the frigging Superman ring until the cows come home. I’ve never seen him wear it. That’s just King, Superman takes bigger priority than the WWE Hall of Fame.
He’s gonna be fine. He’s always lived within his means. I doubt if he’s got any debt, even on his real estate, he owns a huge, beautiful home in Memphis. I stayed there many times, it’s pretty good. So we’re pulling for him in all aspects. I just think that JR and the King in an appearance is marketable after all these years together, so we’ll see how that works out.
I’m not saying that he’s gonna join the staff at AEW whatsoever. I don’t have any idea about that. And nor do I want to know, it’s not my place to hire talent. But I certainly feel in my bones that there’ll be opportunities for he and I worked together, whether it be on a TV show, a one-off type thing, certainly some appearances.”
