When speaking with Christopher Kamrani of TheAthletic.com in the summer of 2024, Steve Austin hinted at a possible appearance at WWE Wrestlemania 41.
Austin said, “I said I won’t leave Nevada. It’s hard to get me out of this state. But … Wrestlemania next year is in Vegas. That’s in Nevada.”
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, Austin is expected to appear on the show but must decide what he feels most comfortable doing. Austin revealed in an interview with Bobbycast that he needs a left knee replacement. He stated, “That was my junior year (of college when I suffered a torn ACL). My first year at North Texas State University there in Denton, Texas. Running down on a kickoff coverage and I hit my guy; was supposed to block and man, I went down. I’d never felt anything like what I felt in my left knee and I tore my ACL but it was a mop-end tear where you tear it in the middle and the edges are kind of frayed. That’s why they call it a mop. But, they can either repair it, or not repair it. Based on the strength of my quads and my hamstrings, they didn’t repair that knee. So, anyway, subsequently, that’s what led to all my knee issues down the road and I’ve had ACL, PCL put in there from cadaver ligaments several years ago and you know, if I’m telling you like it is and I will, I need a new left knee here pretty quick.”