Jim Ross says Vince McMahon paid Shawn Michaels $750,000 per year to sit at home from 1998-2002

[Necro]

This week on “Grilling JR” on AdFreeShows.com, Jim Ross and Conrad Thompson discussed Shawn Michaels’ career from 1997 until 1998. This show covers all of the behind-the-scenes stories that were reported at the time and some new things that only JR would know because he was very influential behind-the-scenes.

Ross talked about the infamous episode of Thursday Raw Thursday where Michaels dropped the WWE Championship because he lost his smile.

Jim Ross was asked, “When did you find out Shawn was going to forfeit the WWF Title (The famous Shawn Michaels, “I lost my smile” promo)?

Ross said, “I guess earlier that day. He was volatile. He was polarizing and volatile so anything you heard about Shawn, it was not going to be a total shock. You kind of got used to it. But, surrendering the title, I don’t know if he lost his smile because he was injured or lost his smile because he couldn’t handle the pressure. He was influenced by outside sources that liked to poke gas on his fire. I don’t know…So once you get the message of what’s going to happen in the production meeting that morning, it was like, geez, that’s pretty extreme. Maybe you give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe something is really wrong. We didn’t know. But I always thought his feelings were hurt more than his knee or his back or whatever, and I don’t know exactly why. He had a hard time handling and accepting the responsibility of being the top guy in the territory.

Ross was asked, “Was it because of pressure from within or pressure from Vince?”

Ross answered, “I don’t know if it was pressure from Vince or not. Vince loved him. It’s proven. We paid Shawn $750,000 a year for about four years to do nothing because he was Vince’s guy. Every time we go over budgets and things, where are we at with the Shawn contract? Nothing, leave it alone. Ok”

Ross was asked, “When you say four years, are you saying ‘98-”02 that he was still on the payroll at that price?”

Ross responded, “That’s what I’m saying Conrad. That’s just Vince. Vince didn’t have to do that. Here’s the deal. All Shawn wanted to do was go work and go play with Kevin (Nash) and Scott Hall. So that would have been for WCW nice to get a gift of Shawn Michaels, wouldn’t you think? So he took good care of him.”

Ross also talked about Michael’s issues with Bret Hart, the Sunny Days promo, and much more during this episode that is available now on AdFreeShows.com.

I kind of get it in a way so WCW wouldn't take him, but holy crap Vince loves him some Shawn Michaels.

 

[Chris]

This turned out to be a worthwhile investment in the longrun.

 

[Lady Redfield]

The Vince loving him thing is old news, but, this puts a bit more perspective on it.

I watched a shoot interview with Sunny, Vince definitely let Shawn do what he wanted to do with that hot mess, a little extra loving there.

 

[Deezy]

Vince Paid his side piece.

We all knew this.

Maybe in 10 years JR will tell us how much Tony Khan pays Orange Cassidy.

 

[Apoho Creed]

Yeah HBK was one of the top talents at this time and it's no shock to hear from me. I don't believe Ross though that by the time he gave away the WWE Championship no one knew what was going on with Shawn? I don't think it was pressure considering to me he was one of the top guys before 96 where he won the WWE Championship over Bret. The guy was putting on Match of the Year Matches left and right. I think his injuries of doing his style did catch up with him around the time and the big issue his drug and alcohol use. I think when Scott and Kevin were there it was hidden, but by 1997 you can't tell me someone didn't know HBK was dealing with his demons.

 

[Hoss]

Vince been paying lots of people money to do nothing up until this pandemic hit, with half the roster not making it onto TV for months at a time. And I'm not sure how legends deals work, but kinda the same concept right? I don't really see how it matters. It just makes sense to keep these entities you consider valuable on payroll in case you ever need them/to keep them from showing up for the competition. Especially when the deals aren't putting WWE in a financially crippling situation, the way some of those WCW deals did them.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Not sure Michaels wanted to deal with Bret Hart either but this was clearly a move. If Michaels wanted to jump ship with his friends while he was recoverin' durin' that time, he may have never got clean and possibly injurin' himself to the point of no return as well. It could have just been a complete disaster. I am glad it worked out the way it did.

 

[Buffy]

This isn't new news in my view either. HBK was a McMahon guy through and through. Vince was going to do everything to make sure he didn't lose another one of his guys to this enemy promoter. In the long run it helped not only Vince but a few years later in 2002 HBK too. HBK was one of the better and hotter performer in 1996-1998 to his first in ring retirement. If HBK left him for Eric then I could see HBK not being alive to this day.

 

[Cwalker]

This would only be considered a big deal if WWE ended up losing the war to WCW.

Other than that, it's just Vince locking in a guy so he doesn't go to the competition like everyone else during this period

 

[Lover Boy]

Makes sense really, you give a man like HBK whatever he wants to keep him around.

 

[Sabretooth]

Everyone knows Shawn was Vince’s top guy. Of course he was gonna keep him on the payroll

 

[Hoss]

Everyone knows Shawn was Vince’s top guy. Of course he was gonna keep him on the payroll

You coulda just stopped after "top".