Jimmy Jacobs Clears the Air on AEW Role, Creative Misconceptions, and Future Plans

Former AEW employee and creative team member Jimmy Jacobs spoke publicly for the first time since his departure from the company in 2024, addressing the online misconceptions about his role and offering insight into his career trajectory.

In an interview with WrestleMobs/BodySlam.net (video below), Jacobs shared that there have been “a lot of misconceptions about my time in AEW and my role there,” noting that similar misunderstandings followed him even after he left WWE, with a narrative suggesting he was a "leak," something he firmly denied, saying he “100% was not.”

Jacobs joined AEW in June 2023 as a producer but left in October 2024 to take a break from wrestling. He confirmed he was a member of AEW’s creative team but described his position as more of an administrative role, which he believes was misunderstood by fans and even some wrestlers, much like his time in WWE.

“I would challenge anyone to name one segment I wrote or produced at AEW to then criticize. I didn’t. I was not my job there, like at all,” Jacobs stated.

Explaining his duties, Jacobs described his role as a “channel for information.” He spent a lot of time with Tony Khan, often speaking with him during the week. As ideas evolved, Jacobs’ job was to organize and communicate those ideas to the right people, such as talent, producers, technical staff, and others involved in the production process. He also was tasked with formatting TV scripts. After Khan would provide ideas, Jacobs would draft a first version of the script and help develop TV shows, although, in the end, all creative decisions were made by Khan.

“My creative fingerprints weren’t on (AEW), almost at all,” Jacobs said. He also addressed rumors suggesting he was behind supernatural storylines in AEW, similar to those he worked on in TNA, calling them untrue.

“The record needs to be set straight. I am going to tell the truth. I wasn’t writing AEW TV at all,” he clarified, later acknowledging that he did collaborate with Chris Jericho in his final months with the company, which involved “some creative fingerprints,” but nothing to the degree that people might assume.

Looking ahead, Jacobs expressed interest in working with WWE, AEW, or TNA in the "fairly near future." He confirmed his previous collaboration with Scott D’Amore on Maple Leaf Wrestling and said that if the opportunity arose, he would be open to working with him again. Jacobs noted that his previous work agreements with WWE, AEW, and TNA were never formal contracts, but rather working arrangements.

As for AEW, Jacobs suggested a potential return, sharing that Khan had been “very kind and accommodating” when he decided to step away and even “welcomed me back whenever I want and I deeply appreciate that.”

Throughout the interview, Jacobs praised Khan’s impact on the wrestling industry, emphasizing that Khan “has had a positive effect on the wrestling business that can’t be understated” and that it’s the best time to be a wrestler since 1999, thanks to the increased opportunities and revenue within the industry. Jacobs highlighted Khan’s serious approach to his responsibilities, stating, “so many jobs revolve around what he does and the decisions he makes. He takes that seriously.”

There was a mention in the interview about Khan and Jacobs listening to Jim Cornette podcasts while on the road, but this quote could not be found in the interview itself. We are working to clarify that detail.