Summary

Jelly Roll reportedly wanted a different kind of WWE role than the one he ultimately had during the WrestleMania 42 build.

According to comments shared during a conversation with Swerve Strickland, Jelly Roll was aware fans might not fully embrace his place in the Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton feud. He was still featured prominently, including the spot where he splashed Pat McAfee through the announce table.

That reaction was already part of the larger conversation around the angle, as Corey Graves said the timing helped drive backlash to the Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll portion of the Cody Rhodes-Randy Orton story.

Quote from Bootleg Kev

Bootleg Kev said Jelly Roll had been pushing for something lighter on screen instead of being dropped into such a major feud:

"I'm really close to Jelly Roll. He was very self aware of that he was being pushed into a storyline that he probably didn't need to be pushed into. He was pushing — he was being very vocal about wanting to be in an involved in a storyline that is still playing out currently that was more comedic. He was like, 'Guys, if you put me into this thing, I promise you it's going to cook. It's going to fuck.' I was there at SmackDown in Phoenix and I heard him having these convos with certain people at WWE. They still decided to — and look, if you're him, you're like, hey man, if you're going to push me into the main event of WrestleMania, I'm not going to say no. But, I don't think people are going to [like it]."

What It Means For Jelly Roll In WWE

Jelly Roll's comments matter because they suggest he and WWE were not fully aligned on the best way to use him, and that can shape how the company approaches any future celebrity crossover. If WWE brings him back for another on-screen role, the source material points to a more comedic lane as the version he believed would connect better.

The update also adds context to his post-WrestleMania remarks that he and McAfee "had no business" being in that storyline. Since he was later speculated as Danhausen's mystery partner before instead teaming with Minihausen to beat The Miz and Kit Wilson at WWE Backlash, there is at least some evidence that a less serious presentation was already on the table around him.

Sources

Bootleg Kev while speaking with Swerve Strickland