Tony Schiavone addressed swirling Chris Jericho contract speculation on his What Happened When podcast with Conrad Thompson, revealing he remains in the dark despite recent extensive time backstage with Tony Khan.
If there's smoke to that fire, it has not been thrown my way," Schiavone began. "I was backstage with Tony Khan most of this entire trip (for Forbidden Door). Chris Jericho's name was not mentioned. But that doesn't mean anything.
The veteran announcer's comments provide an interesting contrast to Khan's recent heartfelt praise of Jericho during the ROH Death before Dishonor media call, where the AEW President credited Jericho as foundational to both AEW and ROH's success.
Schiavone acknowledged Khan's secretive approach to business dealings, explaining why he might be kept out of the loop.
Tony, a lot of times, he'll get on the phone with that person and not tell anybody. He likes to keep things close to the vest. I don't know. I really don't know.
The AEW personality admitted his own curiosity about the situation, adding, "I've been wondering myself. I guess I should have asked, and then I would have known."
Speculation continues to mount about Jericho's future, with industry sources suggesting he may be considering a WWE return in early 2026. However, Khan recently expressed his desire to "have Chris back" while praising the nine-time world champion's contributions.
