"His body was paying the price" - WWE Executive recalls fears over Shawn Michaels' health in WWE

WWE Executive Director Bruce Prichard has highlighted backstage concerns in WWE over Shawn Michaels' health some years ago.

Speaking on his 'Something to Wrestle' podcast, the Executive Director of WWE RAW and SmackDown revealed there were some significant worries regarding the overall condition of Shawn Michaels during his WWE run.

"There were times throughout it from the second week of Shawn returning when he did," said Prichard. "We were thinking, 'Okay, how long is this going to be able to last? How long are we going to be able to do this?" H/T WrestlingInc.

Prichard also implied that sometimes WWE superstars can be prone to sustaining further injuries if they have spent a long time out of the ring.

"So, everyday in many respects was a gift that, 'Okay, man he's going alright,' but the more that he worked, the more he felt like, 'Okay, I can do this a little longer.' It's when you stop working, you're not working as much and it's harder to get back into the swing of things and get back into the groove of things."

"So, you would periodically have these times where Shawn was hurt and he was. He had an awful lot of wear and tear on his body and his body was paying the price."

Shawn Michaels retired from active compeition in WWE after suffering a defeat to The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 26. Both Undertaker's and Shawn Michaels' WrestleMania matches are considered amongst some of the very best in the history of the event.

Shawn Michaels is currently an influential figure in NXT

Absolute AWESOME main event on last night’s #NXTUK. Go check it out in @WWENetwork. @bencarterbxb looked incredibly impressive in the match. Watch this match!!! #WeAreNXTUK https://t.co/K9oTCCcbws

— Shawn Michaels (@ShawnMichaels) January 8, 2021

He may have hung up his boots for good, but that doesn't mean The Heartbreak Kid isn't still knee-deep in the wrestling business.

Alongside his longtime partner Triple H, Shawn Michaels is currently offering his knowledge and support behind the scenes in NXT, helping to shape and mould the WWE stars of tomorrow.

Finn Balor recently revealed what it has been like working alongside the WWE legend in NXT, and how influential Michaels has been on his career and the careers of countless other WWE superstars.