Bryan Danielson Addresses His In-Ring Future Amid Ongoing Neck Issues

Bryan Danielson may be hanging up his boots—for now—but he’s not shutting the door entirely on one last return.

In a new February 9, 2026 interview with Justin Barrasso, Danielson gave the most hopeful update yet since revealing his spinal degeneration last year. While speaking about how travel for AEW commentary has worsened his condition, Danielson hinted there’s still a flicker of possibility.

“I don’t close it off,” he said, addressing the potential for a wrestling comeback. “Maybe.”

His not closing it off could be everything fans need to cling to hope. And according to Danielson, a surprising breakthrough came thanks to Adam Copeland, who sent Danielson to his physical therapist.

“In April of 2025, Adam Copeland sent me to his physical therapist,” Danielson revealed. “He said the guy was a miracle worker. This guy worked on me for two days in a row, six hours each day. After the first night, I slept nine hours straight. After the second night, I slept eight hours straight. After that, I was sleeping seven or eight hours almost every night. That’s a game changer for how you feel.”

This follows a more serious confession last year during an interview with Chris Van Vliet, where Danielson admitted his body had declined due to increased travel for AEW commentary. Still, Danielson isn’t rushing to call it retirement.

“I had these delusions of, ‘Okay, maybe I can get back and do a little bit of wrestling.’ Now I see that they really are delusions, because this traveling is like… this is not a good idea. I hate the r-word because I was forced to retire before,” he said. “I never consider myself fully retired.”

Whether it’s wishful thinking or the start of a long road back, Danielson’s openness to wrestling again has reignited interest in a possible final run—and if anyone knows how to defy expectations, it’s the American Dragon.

Do you think Bryan Danielson should step back in the ring one last time—or has he already done enough to cement his legacy? Let us know your take in the comments.