Jeff Jarrett Recalls Atmosphere Backstage After the Montreal Screwjob

On the latest episode of My World With Jeff Jarrett, the WWE Hall of Famer talked about the 28th anniversary of the Montreal Screwjob, which is November 9, 2025. Jarrett, who had just returned to the WWE weeks prior, recalled his perspective on the events leading up to Survivor Series 1997.

Bret Hart eventually returned to WWE in 2010, leading to a match against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 26. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart publicly reconciled in the ring on an episode of Raw in January 2010, burying the hatchet on the incident. You can check out some highlights below:

On If He Knew Bret Hart Was Leaving When He Returned In October:

“I think the first person that — he didn’t really confirm it but it’s, ‘Hey, Bret’s probably going to be exiting.’ And I was just — a, I was brand new back, going to keep my mouth shut. I was a little surprised. Can’t say I was shocked, because you heard the different stories and a 20-year deal… Yeah, that just never really added up to me.

“And I’m like, ‘Okay.’ And just as things were — again, I’m fresh, I did the promo. I’m trying to have eyes in the back of my head. And I think Russo was the first. I might have heard it — I don’t know. Because I was having conversation with him too, Vince maybe alluded to it. But I was surprised that they were going to have — the way I looked at it, ‘What, you’re going to have problems with Bret on the way out?’ Because he’s not jumping with no net. He’s going to go make a boatload of money. So I said, ‘There must be more to the story that we don’t know.’ Bret wants to leave, or whatever it may be, but I did not really know all the ins and outs. But it did catch me by surprise that, ‘Oh, wow, he’s finishing. And he’s finishing up soon.'”

On Being There For It:

“No, I was there and went down. And I don’t remember specifics, but I just remember [thinking], ‘Oh man.'”

On His Reaction To Earl Hebner’s Position:

“When it all went down, I just went, ‘Oh. Well, that’s a conversation I’m going to have with Earl in due time. At the right time.’ And I kind of felt bad for him. Obviously on the one hand I said, ‘Okay, he was instructed to do that.’ You know Conrad, at the end of the day I just went, ‘Okay, there was a difference in opinion, and this is Vince McMahon’s solution.’ And you know, the tents and the spitting, and Shawn walking back through there, and Vince just kind of stood there. Just all of it was surreal. And I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you, going, ‘Okay, this feels different. But how much is work and how much is a shoot?'”

On the Mood Changing Backstage:

“Oh, definitely, definitely. I mean, and — step aside, and here comes this faction, and here comes this faction. And ‘boom,’ and they’re gone. Then they go in those and I’ve seen it on the different clips. But then they go into their different dressing rooms and, you know. There was a lot of — it was tense.

“And Conrad, I knew — I don’t want to say immediately, but ‘Let’s give it 10-15 minutes.’ Everybody — you know, if you weren’t in the last one or last two, I didn’t work. The show was over. I hit the bricks, got my car, went to the hotel.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit My World With Jeff Jarrett with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.