Backstage Details On Jerry Lawler's WWE Departure, Chances Of Him Joining JR In AEW

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler has had one of the lengthiest WWE careers in history. Lawler made his WWE debut back in 1992 as an announcer, while still remaining active in the ring with feuds against the likes of Bret Hart, Jake Roberts, and Doink The Clown, before becoming a full-time announcer by the end of the 1990s. That career has now seemingly come to an end, however, as his WWE contract was quietly not renewed. However, it has since been confirmed that Lawler will remain under a Legends deal with the company.

Now that he isn't officially with WWE, many fans have wondered whether Lawler will have one last run on commentary with his long-time broadcast partner Jim Ross, who has been with All Elite Wrestling since 2019. Fightful Select reports that this is highly unlikely, however, as sources within AEW haven't heard Lawler's name being brought up as a someone who could possibly join the announce team. Sources close to Lawler reportedly told Fightful that not only does he not follow AEW, but that he doesn't watch much wrestling at all after suffering a stroke in February 2023, which is still affecting him.

Lawler hasn't wrestled an official match since January 2023, and Fightful says the effects of his stroke likely signal the end of any physical activity in the ring. If so, it's the end of a career that began in 1971 and that didn't see Lawler go more than a year without wrestling. He did make some sporadic appearances for WWE after his stroke, namely an appearance in front of his hometown of Memphis, as well as an episode of "WWE NXT" in November where he chose the participants for the Iron Survivor Challenge matches at that year's Deadline Premium Live Event.