John Cena told Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated there's a reason he's limiting his appearances in WWE, even if he has time to show up.

13-time Champion and current actor-more-than-wrestler, John Cena said Wednesday there are no plans for him to make a return to wrestling while his acting career is going well. And, as much as many of us would believe the commitment to WWE would hinder his ability to take on new Hollywood projects, that's not really the reason he's staying away.

"The fan base has seen some wonderful individuals look a step slower," he said. "I just don't want to be that person." He cited Steve Austin and The Rock as people who have successfully moved on from WWE, done other things, but still pop up every now and a again for the right reasons. He's following in their footsteps.

Cena didn't rule out ever returning, but his interview made it sound like fans shouldn't expect to see him much, if at all. Interesting timing considering Randy Orton just posted a challenge for Cena at WrestleMania 36. It's a challenge Cena isn't likely to accept.

Cena noted that any athlete, whether a professional wrestler or from a different sport, has to consider what they'll do when the thing they loved for so many years slows down. "I'm at a very reduced workload now. I feel great, I still have my health, my sanity, and wonderful emotional balance."

A Total Change In Philosophy For Cena

It wasn't that long ago that Cena was calling out The Rock for not "loving" WWE the way he should. Cena realizes how wrong he was to have said those things. In fact, it's ironic that The Rock has shown up more often than Cena has recently and by most measures, Dwayne Johnson is still the busiest man in Hollywood.

Still, Cena doesn't want to be like Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan (he didn't name these people specifically), who are showing up as often as WWE will have them. "I literally give my life, willingly, to WWE," Cena said. "But you shouldn't be the same person you were yesterday. You should always evolve and grow and change."

Next: AEW's Cody Cuts Incredible Promo, Adds Full Gear Match Stipulation