How Stone Cold prevented Vince McMahon's plan to fire WWE Legend and portray him as an 'insane buffoon'  

Stone Cold Steve Austin has the image of being a loner backstage. He never interfered much in WWE's creative for other superstars. However, he stepped in when the company tried to run down Jim Ross and portray him as a 'buffoon.' It was at Austin's insistence that Ross got to call his match against The Rock at WrestleMania.

Vince McMahon allegedly wasn't a fan of Jim Ross as the announcer and wanted him gone. It was because of Stone Cold's pull in the company that Ross wasn't fired as the announcer. The company also tried to tarnish Ross' credibility and popularity by giving him a weak on-screen character.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer noted in the June 2002 Newsletter that McMahon essentially let JR remain the announcer because of Stone Cold. The report also stated that the former WWE Champion Stone Cold wanted Ross to be the one to call his iconic match at WrestleMania against The Rock.

''Austin, a loner who really didn't get involved in others' business at a time he had the power where he could have, made an exception and went to bat for and saved his announcing job in 1999.''

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Jim Ross continued to stay the announcer thanks to Stone Cold despite efforts to 'destroy' him

He also stated that WWE head writer at the time, Vince Russo, tried to bury Ross and wanted to destroy his character because they felt his southern accent was a detriment to the RAW announce team. Jim Ross got a massive ovation when he came out to call the match.

''Vince Russo and others felt his character had to be destroyed because of his popularity, but that his face, after suffering a second bout of Bells Palsy, and the lingering question regarding his Southern accident, were detriments to the Raw broadcast. The destruction of Ross' character, as an insane buffoon who went postal about no longer being on Raw, was starting to take hold.''

Jim Ross remained the lead commentator of RAW till 2013, when he left the company to spend more time with his family. The WWE Hall of Famer did return on a few occasions to announce a few matches. He is currently a part of AEW.