The WORST Moment From EVERY WWE SummerSlam
29. Owen Hart Almost Retires ‘Stone Cold’ (1997)
The fact that Owen Hart never actually apologised for nearly ending Steve Austin's career is astonishing. Even his brother Bret tried to get Owen to give Austin a call, but his younger sibling wouldn't do it. That left Steve 'Stone Cold', because it honestly is the least Hart could've done post-SummerSlam 1997.
Austin's plight was all on Owen. He was the one who pitched a sit down Tombstone Piledriver during their Intercontinental Title match, and he was the one who ignored Steve's suggestions to change it. The 'Rattlesnake' thought it'd be safer if Hart fell to his knees, not his butt, but Owen wanted to do it his way.
That decision left Austin temporarily paralysed, and it changed his life/career for good.
His neck was in pieces, needed immediate surgery, and 'Stone Cold' had to switch up his in-ring style so he could continue working at all. There was another terrifying outcome both avoided: Austin's career ending, or even his death. That sounds dramatic, but watch the match again - his entire head and neck crunched beneath the weight of both men.
Steve found it hard to trust Owen again after that. Obviously, Hart's own tragedy in 1999 overshadowed everything, but he and Austin never patched things up properly following their '97 run-in. There's something really rather sad about that. All it would've taken? One phone call from Owen to clear the air and acknowledge he'd been in the wrong.
Vince, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler sounded mighty worried on commentary at SummerSlam for a reason. They could tell that Austin was in serious distress as he lay motionless on the mat.