why wasn't the rock at wrestlemania 41

The Rock was not at WrestleMania 41 because he personally decided to step back and not be involved in the event to allow the spotlight to fully focus on John Cena and Cody Rhodes in their main event storyline. He believed the narrative around Cena's heel turn and the championship should remain centered on them and not be about The Rock or his character "The Final Boss." The Rock had been involved leading up to the Elimination Chamber event, but after that, he felt his work was done and that it was best to let Cena and Rhodes carry the story at WrestleMania without his involvement. Additionally, he had other commitments and wanted to avoid overstepping in the storyline build. This explanation was shared by The Rock himself during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show in 2025. There was also speculation that his filming commitments to a Martin Scorsese film may have contributed to his absence, but the primary reason was his creative choice to let Cena shine in the spotlight at WrestleMania 41 as the new heel champion.