Is Stone Cold Steve Austin injured? Exploring his whereabouts amid WrestleMania absence

WrestleMania 40 featured multiple surprise appearances from several legends, but Stone Cold Steve Austin is one legend who was not present. Despite many suspecting that he would be involved in The Show of Shows, The Texas Rattlesnake was nowhere to be seen.

There has been plenty of speculation as to why Stone Cold Steve Austin was not present at WrestleMania 40, with some suggesting he may have been injured. But, this is highly unlikely, especially considering his recent social media activity. After all, he has been posting videos left, right, and center from his Broken Skull Ranch.

So with that in mind, what could be the reason for his absence? Well, here are a few suggestions that have popped up in the last few days, providing clarity on the whole situation.

Stone Cold Steve Austin might not have been ready for an in-ring return

As mentioned earlier, Stone Cold Steve Austin seems to be as fit as a fiddle. Looking at his recent posts, there is at least no sign of a sling, brace, cast, or any physical injury for the matter, making his absence at WrestleMania 40 all the more mysterious.

The WWE Universe was expecting to hear the iconic glass shatter in Philadelphia, but was left disappointed. After all, in the months leading up to the event, there was a lot of speculation that he might interfere with The Rock, similar to how John Cena and The Undertaker did. So, perhaps he simply didn't have enough time to get in ring shape.

Stone Cold Steve Austin did not want to be "one of the several" legends at WrestleMania 40

In the last few days, there has been a lot of speculation as to why Stone Cold Steve Austin did not appear at WrestleMania 40. After all, he is one of The Rock's greatest rivals. His appearance in the main event of Night 2, where he would help in stopping The Final Boss, should have been a given. However, one pro-wrestling veteran believes that Austin did not want to be "one of the several."

Check out the video below:

Vince Russo, who formerly served as a writer for WWE, WCW, and TNA, believes that The Toughest S.O.B. in WWE history did not want to be one of the many legends at the event. Speaking on Sportskeeda's Legion of RAW, Russo claims that it was supposed to be The Rock and Stone Cold, not The Rock and The Undertaker. But the reason why it never came to be is down to how protective Austin is of his character and the fact that he might not want to be just "another legend."

Stone Cold Steve Austin may have been unable to reach an agreement with WWE

It's true, that Stone Cold may not have been in in-ring shape or didn't want to be "one of several," but there is one report that suggests otherwise. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE was forced to give a spot to The Undertaker that was earmarked for Steve Austin. The reason is the two parties were reportedly unable to come to a financial agreement.

If the money wasn't right, it would make sense for The Texas Rattlesnake to fly out to Philadelphia. Perhaps the two sides will come to an agreement in the future once The Rock makes his return. But only time will tell if that comes to pass.

At the end of the day, this is all just speculation. There is no telling what the actual reason is behind Stone Cold Steve Austin's absence at WrestleMania 40.