Former WWE General Manager Teddy Long is open to one more run in WWE, but the WWE Hall of Famer says it would only truly mean something on Vince McMahon’s terms.
Speaking on TMZ’s Inside the Ring, Long made clear his loyalty rests with the man who shaped his career, even as the promotion moves forward under new leadership.
“I’ll do what I’m told, you know what I have to do, but if I had to go back, I wished it would be under the whims of Vince McMahon,” Long said.
Long, who still holds a WWE legends deal, said he believes McMahon will return to the company one day.
“I don’t think the chapter is ever closed with him,” he said, describing wrestling as McMahon’s life. He recalled a flight where McMahon “talked about wrestling until we landed,” and watching him run rehearsals at his own birthday party.
How Vince McMahon Shaped The Teddy Long Character
Long credited McMahon directly for building his on-screen persona. He recalled McMahon telling him to his face,
“Teddy Long, they wasted you down south,” and later, “I can’t believe I’ve had you right here under my nose all this time.”
Long noted that McMahon wrote some of his most memorable material, including his “White Boy Challenge” promos, trusting that Long would keep it within the bounds of entertainment.
Long also said his most prized piece of memorabilia is a bust of McMahon’s head, given to a select group at McMahon’s most recent birthday party. Long said the event was attended by The Undertaker, The Godfather, Booker T, JBL, Bruce Prichard, and Jay Briscoe.