>>18722748Absolutely not. Even before Cody left Tony kept saying he got the idea to start AEW after seeing Kenny vs. Jericho at WK. Then he said he saw an oppurtunity when Jericho, Kenny, Punk, and the Young Bucks were free agents. He never mentioned Cody.
Jericho said he was offered an EVP position too buy declined it since he had no interest in management, but Jericho is 100% the godfather of AEW. He’s the only wrestler people at Warner recognized when they got their deal.