Jonathan Coachman claims some current WWE talent are privately frustrated with their creative direction, but they are afraid to speak out publicly.
While speaking on 2 Count Tuesday with JD from NY, Coachman claimed that several people who still work in WWE, or have direct ties to the company, message him about their unhappiness. He made it clear he would never expose anyone, but said the frustration is real.
“I would never out them, but I wish I could tell you, JD, all of the people that DM me that still work there or have a direct line there that are so upset—no matter what their paycheck is.”
Jonathan Coachman then explained that money does not erase the frustration of feeling unvalued. He said that as he has gotten older, he has realized a paycheck does not automatically make someone happy.
“Because I’ve realized, as I get into my late 40s and head into my 50s, that life is not about the paycheck. It’s not. It’s a means to an end. It gives you a little bit of a better life, but money, at the end of the day, means nothing.”
Coachman said some wrestlers are tired of traveling to shows when they already know they likely won’t be used in a meaningful way. He then claimed that talent see the same online criticism that fans do, and some privately agree with points he and JD make, even if they cannot say it themselves.
“When you work for a company—I get these notes all the time, and I would never expose anybody—but they are so unhappy because they have to get on a plane and fly to a show that they know they’re not going to be valued whatsoever. And after so long of doing that—and then you read social media—you know, JD, they hear it, they see it, you can’t hide from it. And it breaks my heart when I get these messages. They’ll say, ‘Man, coach, I really agreed with what you said there,’ or, ‘I really agreed with what you said with JD. I wish I could say it, but I’ll get fired.’”
Jonathan Coachman then said the situation is even worse now because of pay cut concerns under TKO, claiming talent may feel they have no room to push back.
“And now, with the pay cuts, it’s even worse. You can’t say anything because they’ll come to you and say, ‘I don’t give a s*** whether you have two, three, or four years left on your deal—we’re going to give you a pay cut, or you’re going to walk out the door for whatever reason.’”
Coachman’s comments paint a tense picture of WWE’s locker room, at least from the private messages he says he receives. While talent may not be speaking publicly, he claims some are privately frustrated with creative, their value on the roster, and the pressure surrounding the current TKO-era contract changes.
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