It's being reported that there was some talk going around about Jim Ross leaving/"retiring" from WWE a few days before it was officially announced. It's also being reported that the day before he departed from the company, a representative from WWE called an author to inform him that he had been selected to help J.R. write an autobiography.

According to one source, Ross would have never been let go from WWE a few years back. This source also says that Vince McMahon is not at all worried about Ross possibly going to TNA.

As for J.R.'s duties in the NXT developmental territory, the word going around is that William Regal, who has already been heavily involved with NXT for a few years now, will take over J.R.'s duties.