“Roman Reigns Was ‘Impossible’ to Write For? Former WWE Writer Reveals the Real Struggle Behind The Big Dog Era”
Former WWE writer Jimmy Jacobs has lifted the curtain on one of the most debated creative challenges of the modern WWE era — writing for Roman Reigns before he became the unstoppable Tribal Chief.
In a revealing new interview with Sportshadow, Jacobs didn’t hold back as he named Reigns as the toughest wrestler he ever had to write for during his time on WWE’s creative team. And surprisingly, the issue wasn’t Roman himself.
Why Roman Reigns Was So Hard to Write For
Jacobs, who worked behind the scenes in WWE from early 2015 through late 2017, explained that the difficulty stemmed from how Roman Reigns was positioned at the time, not from any lack of talent or effort.
According to Jacobs, the 2015–2016 version of Roman Reigns was a top babyface without a clearly defined character voice, which made creative direction incredibly narrow.
Roman was being pushed as “the guy,” but his character hadn’t fully formed yet. We were still trying to figure out who he really was.
That uncertainty made every promo, segment, and storyline feel like walking a tightrope — especially with Vince McMahon heavily involved in every detail.
Vince McMahon’s Shadow Loomed Large
Jacobs emphasized that Vince McMahon’s hands-on approach made things even tougher. Once Vince decided Roman was the future of the company, every word Roman said was under a microscope.
When you’re writing for a top babyface and Vince is watching everything closely, there’s almost no room to experiment.
Jacobs pointed out that heels are far easier to write for because they can be outrageous, sarcastic, or unpredictable. Babyfaces at the top of the card? Not so much.
An undercard babyface can say something generic and get away with it. At the top, expectations are massive — and the creative path is incredibly narrow.
Before The Bloodline, There Was No Clear Voice
In hindsight, Jacobs says the challenge disappeared once Roman eventually found his authentic voice years later with The Bloodline storyline — a run now widely regarded as one of the greatest character transformations in WWE history.
But back then, that identity simply hadn’t clicked yet.
This wasn’t a knock on Roman. It was just really hard to write for someone who was positioned as the face of the company before their voice truly emerged.
WWE vs AEW: Fear vs Freedom
Beyond Roman Reigns, Jacobs also reflected on his overall WWE experience. While he says he loved working there, he admitted that Vince McMahon’s leadership style created a culture of fear.
I went from trying to do great creative work to just trying not to get in trouble.
In contrast, Jacobs described AEW under Tony Khan as being on the complete opposite end of the spectrum — far more open and talent-friendly. However, he also noted that too much freedom can lead to what he called a “pathology of chaos,” where matches and ideas begin overlapping.
The Big Picture
Roman Reigns’ early struggles as a babyface weren’t about crowd rejection or talent — they were about creative limitations, massive pressure, and a character still searching for its identity.
Looking back now, Jacobs’ comments make one thing clear: once Roman finally found his voice, WWE history was changed forever.
