Jim Ross Breaks Silence on Vince McMahon: “I Think He Was Jealous of What I Brought to WWE”
Jim Ross isn’t holding back anymore. On the latest episode of Grilling JR, the legendary voice of professional wrestling opened up about his complicated and often tense relationship with former WWE boss Vince McMahon—and his words are already turning heads across the wrestling world.
Having worked under McMahon for most of his iconic career, JR admitted that even after all these years, he never fully understood the personal animosity directed his way.
“I have never understood Vince’s intense animosity,” Ross said bluntly. “I think he was jealous.”
Ross was responding to a question from Conrad Thompson, which stemmed from comments Todd Grisham made during a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet. That discussion clearly struck a nerve, as JR didn’t shy away from addressing what he believes was the real issue.
According to Ross, McMahon struggled with the fact that he was never the play-by-play announcer JR became—and that resentment carried over into how his contributions were acknowledged.
“He was never the play-by-play guy that I was,” Ross explained. “But he didn’t want to give me any credit for helping build the Attitude Era into what it was. I’m not saying I did it alone—far from it—but I was part of that success.”
Despite the criticism and pressure he endured behind the scenes, Ross said he never returned the hostility.
“As much grief as he gave me, I could always look at my bank account and feel better,” JR said with a laugh. “I never had the animosity toward Vince that he had toward me. I just never understood it.”
Ross made it clear that he worked relentlessly throughout the Attitude Era and beyond, yet felt that the respect he earned was rarely returned. Still, he took pride in his work and legacy—something no amount of backstage tension could erase.
Ending on a positive note, JR shared that his health has significantly improved, opening the door for fans to hear more of his iconic voice again.
He hinted that with those health issues behind him, he expects to be around AEW programming more frequently—welcome news for fans who still associate big moments with that unmistakable JR call.
One thing is clear: Jim Ross knows his worth, and he’s no longer afraid to say it.
