10 WWE Hall Of Famers Used Underwhelmingly In Later Years

There's no denying Austin's importance to WWE and its history. As the caretaker of the apex during the turnaround of a once-wounded wrestling company, Austin led WWE to new heights between 1997 and 2001. When recurring spinal injuries forced him out of the ring for good in the spring of 2003, it was the end of a historic chapter in wrestling's annals.

Then it gave way to the next chapter, the one where Austin was a one-dimensional executive (in jorts) that beat up the heels without any chance for reprisal. Then that begat "Sheriff Austin", who rode his ATV around ringside, and (again) beat up heels without any chance for reprisal. While it's understandable that WWE wanted to milk Austin's fame without actually having him wrestle, this particular use drained the battery at an alarming pace. Oh, and the "What?" stuff didn't help.