Cody Rhodes has opened up about his level of creative input in WWE since his return to the company. In a new interview, Rhodes explained that while he has the ability to contribute, one of the “greatest gifts” of his current run has been trusting the established creative team to guide his storylines.
The Quarterback Of WWE
While speaking to WFAN, Cody Rhodes was asked how much creative input he has in his own storylines. He used a football analogy to explain his role and his trust in the process.
“They’re really great about it. When I say ‘they,’ I mean Triple H, Nick Khan, and The Rock — they’re very good about knowing that I’ve had an education in this and that I have my own opinions on what I should maybe be doing,” Rhodes said. “But honestly, coming back here, one of the greatest gifts in WWE has been being able to say, ‘You guys tell me.’… I may be the quarterback of WWE, but you’re telling me the play, and I have to trust you.”
Trusting The ‘Far Greater Minds’
“The American Nightmare” pointed to the veteran producers and writers shown in the “WWE: Unreal” docuseries as examples of the experienced minds he now relies on. He noted that while he has earned the right to make a last-minute change, or “call an audible,” he rarely does so because the team is almost always right.
“In the Netflix show, you’re seeing people like Michael Hayes, Mr. Heyman — these are far greater minds than I am,” he explained. “I’m not afraid to ask, ‘Tell me where you’re running with this.’ Yes, I think I’ve earned the ability to call an audible when I really need to, but I rarely do it. Because I want to see if you were right — and man, if you were right, I want to know how… honestly, nine times out of ten, that crew is right.”
Rhodes’ trust in the creative process has led him to the main event of this weekend’s SummerSlam premium live event, where he will challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship against John Cena in a Street Fight. Both the champion and the challenger are scheduled to make their final appearances before the historic two-night event on tonight’s go-home episode of Friday Night SmackDown from Newark, New Jersey.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit WFAN with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
