WWE: 10 Things That Would Have Happened If Stone Cold Steve Austin Never Retired

4. Austin Wouldn't Have Been Forced Into Other Pursuits

Steve's been able to maintain a Superstar-At-Large style relationship with WWE, coming in for the occasional gig that keeps him alive in the hearts of the fans (and in the pocketbook of Vince McMahon). Steve Austin could do nothing else for the rest of his life but hunt and fish, then go drink beer on Raw twice a year. He'd be all set. But that's clearly not Steve's style, and if he hadn't been forced to retire, he wouldn't have found the myriad projects that have kept him busy and us entertained. Since leaving the ring, Austin has nabbed a dozen movie roles, most of which have required him to stay in tip-top condition. One could say that retiring from wrestling has gotten him into the best shape of his life: he's not living on the road, he's at peace, and he's motivated to make the right choices in order to thrive. Next year, Steve Austin will be 50 years old. He's on twitter (@SteveAustinBSR €“ that stands for Broken Skull Ranch, son) with over 2 million followers and one heckuva natural banter with them. His recently-launched Steve Austin Show is a brilliant podcast featuring interviews with the greatest minds in wrestling, his fave musicians, and his own best foil €“ himself. All that, plus he reinvigorated what could have been a painful concept with WWE's Tough Enough in 2011, and is going into his third season as the host of Redneck Island. This redneck was one angry rattlesnake, but has grown into a more well-rounded individual (with likely a much longer life expectancy) €“ two things that more positively embody the traits of today's WWE Superstars. Steve Austin may no longer wrestle, but his retirement made him into more of an entertainer.