"I can't run on this knee" - Stone Cold Steve Austin provides health update amid rumored return at WWE WrestleMania 41

WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin is rumored to return at WrestleMania 41. The 60-year-old legend recently provided a health update amid these speculations.

The Texas Rattlesnake last appeared in the Stamford-based company nearly three years ago at WrestleMania 38. Austin returned to in-ring action for the first time in around two decades to beat Kevin Owens in a No Holds Barred Match at The Show of Shows in 2023. Meanwhile, he teased making a comeback at this year's Showcase of the Immortals to help Cody Rhodes against the recently-turned-heel John Cena and The Rock.

In a recent interview with The Takedown on SI, Stone Cold opened up about his current health condition. He disclosed that he is currently in a three-month recovery period following a knee replacement. Hence, he is not 100%:

"I'm right at three months recovery. I can't run on this knee. So, I would say I'm 25 to 30%. I'm just doing body weight squats and just other stuff that my physical therapist told me. The best thing about the knee is I'm out of pain. I was in so much pain, because there was so much arthritis and I was bone on bone, so immediately when they cut all that stuff out, you know, you're dealing with the healing process, but it (s*cks) being in pain for all those years. I delayed it and I'm in a good place. I just gotta get healed up," he said. [H/T: SI]

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Eric Bischoff urges WWE to bring Stone Cold Steve Austin back to help Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania

On his 83 Weeks podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff addressed the rumors suggesting Stone Cold Steve Austin could appear at WrestleMania 41 to help Cody Rhodes.

The former RAW General Manager pointed out that The Texas Rattlesnake has a long history with The American Nightmare's father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, who was Austin's idol. Meanwhile, Bischoff urged the company to insert Austin into the storyline between Cody, Cena, and The Rock:

"That's kinda cool. I like it. It can make sense for a lot of reasons. Dusty and Steve go back. There's connective tissue there. There's legendary connective tissue there, legendary. The story's already been told. It's out there just wanting to be assembled in a fresh way as a backdrop for a compelling story with a feel-good ending. Somebody write that story, please. It's not that hard, half the work is done, use AI, I don't care. Somebody complete that story," he said.

It would be interesting to see if Austin would indeed return after three years to help the Undisputed WWE Champion at this year's Show of Shows.