Seth Rollins has been sidelined since October 2025, when he suffered a torn rotator cuff during a championship match against Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel. Following the injury, he was brutally ejected from his faction, The Vision, by Bron Breakker, leading to the vacating of his title.
During an appearance on ESPN’s First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Rollins addressed the physical toll a two-decade career has taken on the 39-year-old superstar. Rollins, who made his wrestling debut in August 2004, reflected on his extensive injury history, which includes a devastating tear of his ACL, MCL, and medial meniscus in 2015, as well as recurring back issues that plagued his title reign in late 2023. “I’ve got some chronic pain going on, that’s for sure,” Rollins stated. “I’m almost 40 now. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years… I am about 22 years deep into this wrestling thing and I think I’m probably closer to the end than I am to the beginning.”
However, “The Visionary” was quick to clarify that recognizing his mortality does not mean he is ready to hang up his boots. Despite the daily battles with pain, Rollins believes he is currently operating at his peak level. “I’m still under 40 and I feel like I’ve got a lot of years left,” he assured Smith. “I feel like I’m really just in the middle of my prime right now. The physical hasn’t declined and mentally I’m as sharp as I’ve ever been. So, there’s a lot left in the Seth Rollins tank, Stephen A.”
Rollins previously noted that the recovery time for his specific injury is typically four to six months. With January marking only the third month since the tear, a return now would have been medically premature. While he won’t be in the Rumble match itself, his focus remains on a full recovery, likely targeting a return during the “Road to WrestleMania” to settle the score with Bron Breakker.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit ESPN’s First Take with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
