Jonathan Coachman Said This WWE Broadcaster Didn't Want To Work With Him
Jonathan Coachman returned to WWE briefly in 2018, acting as a commentator on "WWE Raw" before being replaced by Renee Paquette. According to Coachman, one of his broadcast partners gave him a frosty reception, which got the entire partnership off on the wrong foot.
"I felt like I got screwed over," Coachman told "Insight" recently. The former ESPN broadcaster felt that he wasn't treated well during his time back in WWE. "I would actively every week ask Michael Cole, can you talk to Corey about us working together? I have nothing against Corey Graves. I've known Michael Cole since 1999, but if they don't want to work with you, there's nothing you can do. And Corey never wanted to talk to me. I never had one conversation with Corey Graves, and I tried, and that's okay, because that's kind of how the business is."
Coachman says that he understands how broadcasters in WWE can be protective of their spots. The former NBC Sports personality calls it "boxing out your pension," but didn't feel he was stepping on any toes. "The Coach" had been brought back by WWE management, and had no intention of doing more than what management wanted. "I was never going to take his spot," Coachman said. "He's amazing doing 'Raw' or 'SmackDown.' It was about that's what Vince [McMahon] wanted. I didn't come in and go, I'm stepping into that spot. So it was really frustrating, because I felt like I could have really helped." Coachman may have been brought in by McMahon to help the show, but Coachman has been outspoken about how the former WWE Chairman lives a sad existence without a real social life.