Why WWE Moved Road Dogg Back Into Lead SmackDown’s Creative Team Role

WWE’s creative process is more demanding than ever, and Brian “Road Dogg” James was brought back into a lead creative role on SmackDown because the workload became too much for just one writer to handle.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE realized that with everything happening on SmackDown, one lead writer simply wasn’t enough. “We were told that there is so much going on right now, that one lead writer on the show wasn’t enough.”

WWE’s blue brand has become a creative juggernaut in 2025, featuring top-level storylines with Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, The Rock, and The Bloodline saga, as well as emerging stars from NXT’s talent pipeline. With WrestleMania 41 on the horizon, WWE leadership recognized the need for more experienced hands guiding the brand.

James previously served as SmackDown’s co-lead writer from 2016-2019 before stepping away due to creative frustrations. His return in August 2022, following Vince McMahon’s retirement, placed him back in WWE’s system, but now, with Paul “Triple H” Levesque running creative, James has been given a bigger role again.

This restructuring also comes at a time when Raw’s creative team is stacked, with Ryan Ward and Jon Baeckstrom as lead writers and Ed Koskey overseeing both brands. Bruce Prichard remains the direct link between the writing teams and Triple H, meaning SmackDown needed a second lead writer to match the pace.

WWE’s decision to reinsert James into this role wasn’t just about bringing back a familiar name—it was a direct response to SmackDown’s growing complexity and the pressure to maintain high-quality storytelling. Now the question is: will James thrive under Triple H’s leadership, or will history repeat itself?