Brian James, known to fans as Road Dogg, has opened up about his decision to step away from WWE earlier this year, making it clear that the demanding pace of the job played a major role in his exit.

Speaking during a virtual signing with Signed By Superstars, James addressed his departure for the first time and kept things straightforward, focusing more on personal priorities than any backstage tension or creative disagreements. Having served as co-lead writer on Friday Night SmackDown, he had been deeply involved in the weekly grind of WWE programming, something he admitted eventually became overwhelming.

“It was just moving too fast for me. We talked about my brothers and their grandkids and I didn’t get to spend a whole lot of time with mine, so I’m gonna do more of that now.”

James made it clear that the decision ultimately came down to family, choosing to step back and spend more meaningful time with his loved ones after years of working in a high-pressure creative role.

During the same appearance, he also reflected on WWE Unreal, the Netflix series that offers a behind the scenes look at the company’s creative process. The show has sparked debate among fans about whether it reveals too much of the inner workings of professional wrestling, but James suggested the concept serves a broader purpose.

“As an old timer, I think we always feel that way,” James said. “The idea behind it, in my opinion, is it’s an on-ramp or an exit ramp into the actual episodic television show, and I don’t know if there’s a metric that can tell you whether that works or not.”

His comments highlight a generational perspective, acknowledging the traditional mindset around protecting the business while also recognizing WWE’s evolving approach to engaging audiences in new ways.

James was also asked about a potential move to AEW following his WWE exit, though no details about his response were made available. With a long history in WWE spanning multiple eras, including working under both Vince McMahon and Triple H, his departure marks the end of another chapter for a longtime figure behind the scenes.