Kevin Owens left WWE for a short time due to concerns over how WWE was dealing with the pandemic and the health and safety measures the company wasn't taking. His stance and suggestion on how to fix the problem led WWE to make changes.
When the pandemic first hit and it was really only serious enough that WrestleMania moved to the WWE Performance Center, most stars, like Kevin Owens likely felt there wasn't a lot to worry about. But, as people close to Owens got sick and WWE talents started testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, Owens realized not everyone understood the serious nature of the virus.
There was speculation WWE wasn't allowing the planted WWE Performance Center talents who served as fans to wear masks. Whether that was or wasn't the case isn't entirely accurate. All that anyone knows is that people weren't wearing them on camera. As soon as that happened and it was clear not enough people were taking the right precautions, Owens told WWE he was out and wasn't planning to come back until things changed.
He talked about the mask policy during an interview with SI.com and explained:
It’s been brought up—at first, the masks weren’t being taken seriously enough. Eventually, a fine system was implemented to make sure people took it seriously. That came from me. I thought that the masks weren’t being worn seriously enough, so I went and talked to the people in charge. They immediately did what they could to remedy the situation.
Owens said he doesn't hold anyone responsible but he mentioned that if there's going to be so many people in close groups, all of whom are responsible for keeping each other safe, it's important everyone do their part. That means even if they don't believe the masks make a huge difference.
Owens said, "If you’ve had somebody in your family affected by this the way my family was, it’s a lot easier to remember that these masks make a huge difference." He added, "These masks do make a difference, and I felt it was important for people to take that seriously. I was pleased that the company felt the same way and made sure to get the message out to everybody that this is a big deal."
It was WWE's decision to take his recommendation seriously that gave him the confidence to return to the set and be part of the show. "I feel comfortable going back to work, and I feel as safe as I can be there."
Owens Notes A Big Part Was His Wife's Comfort Level
Owens explained that this is a big issue for him because his wife lost her grandfather to COVID and that she was also uncomfortable if people in WWE weren't doing what was needed. "We make these decisions together. I don’t want anything I do to make my wife uncomfortable when I get back home," he said.
Fortunately for Owens, they live in Florida, so going back wasn't too difficult to do.