A large, unidentified crate delivered to WWE’s Adam Pearce on Monday’s Raw, marked with a “Do Not Open Until 2-28” instruction, has ignited speculation about a potential surprise appearance at the Elimination Chamber event. Although, reports indicate that former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho remains under contract with All Elite Wrestling, making an immediate return to WWE unlikely.
Fightful Select reported Tuesday that Jericho’s AEW contract is “firmly” in place and may have been extended following a period of time away from the ring in 2025. The extension could be attributed to injury time accrued, or a subsequent re-signing, according to the report. The outlet noted that similar contract extensions have occurred with other AEW talent, including Matt Hardy.
Sources within AEW have indicated that no internal memos have been circulated regarding Jericho’s potential departure, a standard practice for talent leaving the company. Further diminishing the likelihood of a swift WWE return, Jericho is currently booked for convention appearances in the coming months – a practice typically curtailed when a wrestler is preparing for a full-time commitment to a rival promotion.
Jericho has publicly expressed openness to a return to WWE, but has reportedly voiced concerns about potentially forfeiting outside projects. His last match for AEW took place at Dynasty in April 2025, where he lost the ROH World Championship to Bandido in a title versus mask match.
The mystery surrounding the crate delivered to Raw continues, with the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view scheduled for February 28th in Chicago, Illinois. As of Wednesday, February 18, 2026, AEW has not commented on the speculation surrounding Jericho and the WWE angle.
