Daniel Bryan Comments on Injury's Impact on WWE Career, Future

Having been on the shelf with concussion-like symptoms since April, former WWE world heavyweight champion Daniel Bryan may never wrestle with the company again. 

Speaking to reporters during a WWE tour in Asia, per Natasha Meah of the New Paper in Singapore, Bryan was forthright about where things stand with him as it relates to his health. 

"I think it could be the end of my career in WWE, but I don't think it will be the end of my career," Bryan told Meah. "I could find another passion, but it would just be sad because this is what I have been most passionate about since I was five."

Earlier this week, Bryan did an interview with PassThePopcorn.com in which he did make it sound like a return to the ring would happen at some point when asked where he would fit in upon coming back:

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Well, it depends on where things are when I come back. I mean right now, John Cena isn’t on the show but he’ll be back for sure, so it all depends. That said, I was really disappointed when I had to give up the Intercontinental title because I wanted to turn that into a main event title. I would love to come back and feature in the Intercontinental title picture, especially with Kevin Owens now as champ. That would be something really fun for me. 

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Bryan added in that interview WWE did offer him other jobs as an announcer or trainer for NXT, but he didn't want to do them yet because "it would be too soon."

There has been a lot of drama around Bryan's concussion and WWE not clearing him to wrestle. Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live (per Keith Harris of Cageside Seats) reported Bryan suffered a concussion on the March 31 SmackDown tapings. 

In June, Bryan told Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated he's talked to WWE about the injury, but they were doing something different. 

“I’m trying," Bryan said. "I don’t want to push, push, push. I’ve made my statement to WWE, but they’re going to listen to their doctors. I’m trying to do it as soon as possible, but they’re looking out for my best interests, so I’m trying to be a little bit patient with them.”

Bryan told Meghan Sullivan of IGN.com in October that WWE was sending him to a third doctor "in the near future and that doctor will decide my fate."

The 34-year-old Bryan seems to believe he's ready to make a return, but it's hard to fault WWE for being conservative and listening to the advice of its doctors in this case.

Public information and understanding about head injuries has grown drastically in the last few years, thanks largely to the NFL. Every sports organization knows the problem's severity and not to risk any potential long-term problem even if the athlete feels like his or her old self.