Jonathan Coachman Claims WWE Punished Him For Missing Afghanistan Trip

Former WWE star Jonathan Coachman has claimed that the company once punished him for refusing to go on a trip to Afghanistan.

The Coach made the claim on X, while responding to a clip of Randy Orton saying the Paul 'Triple H' Levesque era is better than the previous regime under Vince McMahon, writing:

"Damn is Randy right. In my 10 years I missed ONE Monday night which was for my honeymoon. I was punished for not going to Afghanistan because my daughter was due and my wife didn't want me to go. I also believe it's the reason a lot of wrestlers are not here today because of the pressure to wrestle through injuries and do anything in their power to keep their positions. So glad that THAT part of the WWE has changed".

Trips to Afghanistan and Iraq (for goodwill tours and shows like Tribute to the Troops) were strictly voluntary, as WWE could not guarantee the safety of talent in active war zones. It should be noted that Coachman had gone on previous trips to the Middle East, before opting to miss one.

While speaking with Chris Van Vliet for Insight last November, Coachman detailed how his punishment consisted of being attacked in the ring by The Undertaker and Batista once a show had gone off the air. The 51-year-old recalled being on the verge of tears, due to how angry he was at his treatment.

After previously saying he would never return to WWE, Coachman recently said he was now open to the idea.