Ricky Steamboat turned down AEW role, doesn't want to be on the road

Ricky Steamboat says he was offered a role with AEW but decided to turn it down.

Steamboat took part in a virtual signing with Captain's Corner on Facebook recently and said that while the pay being offered was great, he's at a point in his life where he doesn't want to be on the road. 

"Believe this or not, I was already asked to come on board [with AEW] in the capacity of [a road agent]," Steamboat said.

"No reflection on them, great company and everything. And don't get me wrong, the pay was going to be great but I'm at a point in my life where I'm trying to get off the road." 

Steamboat served as a guest timekeeper for AEW on the August 17, 2022 edition of Dynamite. The show was geared around a promotion for HBO's House of the Dragon. 

Steamboat, who turned 70 in February, wrestled his last match on a Big Time Wrestling show last November. He teamed with FTR and was victorious over Nick Aldis, Jay Lethal, and Brock Anderson. Not long after, AEW president Tony Khan said he would love to have Steamboat back in AEW. 

Khan told Busted Open Radio that Steamboat is "to this day one of my all-time favorites. I do think he was a great part of AEW already when he came in as the guest timekeeper."

Steamboat was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame Class of 1996. His team with Jay Youngblood was voted Tag Team of the Year in the 1983 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards as well. He also won Match of the Year in 1987 for his WrestleMania III clash with Randy Savage and again in 1989 for his match with Ric Flair at Clash of the Champions VI.