Former WWE Superstar pitched idea about Roman Reigns' leukemia to Triple H

Joey Mercury suggested to Triple H that WWE should reference Roman Reigns’ leukemia battle on television long before his illness became public knowledge.

In October 2018, Reigns announced that he had been diagnosed with leukemia for the second time. Although his initial diagnosis came in 2007, only a small number of people in WWE knew that the former football player was a cancer survivor.

Mercury worked as a WWE producer when Reigns struggled to win fans over as a babyface. Speaking to WSI’s James Romero, the three-time Tag Team Champion recalled how he had an idea to endear fans to the former Shield member:

“I remember we were struggling trying to find it [make fans like Reigns], trying to get him over, I’d ask Hunter [Triple H] in production meetings.” Mercury continued, “I remember texting Hunter from two tables back to the front table right there, just texting him while the meeting’s going on, like, ‘Is it time to mention the illness?’” [1:16-1:36]

Reigns was forced to relinquish the Universal Championship after announcing his second leukemia diagnosis. He returned to in-ring competition five months later and quickly re-established himself as one of WWE’s top stars.

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Why Triple H rejected Joey Mercury’s idea for Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns appeared on WWE’s main-roster programming for six years before his leukemia battle was made public.

Joey Mercury added that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon did not want fans to know about the six-time WrestleMania main-eventer’s past health issues:

“I’d always ask, ‘Do you think now’s the time?’ [Triple H said] ‘Nope, Vince doesn’t wanna touch that.’ I can understand that, and nobody else knew about it. I was one of the few people who knew about the sickness that drove him out. People didn’t know he was a cancer survivor.” [2:00-2:15]

Mercury believes fans would have liked Reigns’ babyface character if they knew more about the real-life person, Joe Anoaʻi, behind the gimmick. The current Universal Champion turned heel in August 2020 and now performs as WWE’s top bad guy.

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