Cody Rhodes has openly acknowledged that his time as an Executive Vice President in AEW was a demanding and challenging experience, referring to it as a "taxing" role for the American Nightmare.

When All Elite Wrestling was launched in January 2019, AEW's Owner, Tony Khan, appointed Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) as Executive Vice Presidents within the company. Later, former IWGP World Champion Kenny Omega also joined as an AEW EVP.

While Tony Khan assumed the position of Head of Creative in the company, Cody, Kenny, and The Young Bucks all had distinct responsibilities behind the scenes.

“One thing that’s been really very real and in front of your face, and accurate is that the long road sometimes can be very special, but you have to see it. You have to really, if you say it out loud, no, that’s not gonna work, no way. But if you see it, then you start to feel it. And it’s even sweeter if that moment comes, if that day comes, but there was, I’m sure, a myriad of plans.”

“I’m so plugged out of a creative aspect because I mean, from the time I was PayPaling you, my days as a creative person are I’m not interested in them.”

“Even if I had the best idea ever, I would be afraid to pitch it to anybody, just because it just, it just burned me out doing it. And I was too young to be doing it. I should have just been throwing my tights on, boots, on being a wrestler, superstar, however you want to put it. But that was the job. And that’s what the audience wanted and just was a lot of taxing, great lessons though.”