Longtime WWE officials Bruce Prichard and Michael P.S. Hayes are currently taking leaves of absence from WWE — reportedly for a family emergency and personal issues, respectively — and two former WWE midcard champions have been producing the Bloodline storyline on "WWE SmackDown" while Hayes is gone. According to Fightful Select, Bobby Roode and Jamie Noble are working on Bloodline segments in Hayes' absence. The outlet reported that Hayes was responsible for producing "almost all" Bloodline-related segments, as well as Roman Reigns' segments upon his return at SummerSlam.

Fightful says Roode had been listed as a co-producer on many of Hayes' segments throughout the year, and the former United States Champion's work as a producer and agent is set to continue and there are no plans to bring him back as a wrestler, though he is cleared for in-ring action. Noble, a former Cruiserweight Champion, has produced numerous Bloodline segments and matches with Hayes out, incluidng the Bloodline vs. Bloodline match at Crown Jewel. Both Roode and Noble were listed as producers for the Bloodline vs. Reigns and Cody Rhodes match at Bad Blood.

Both Prichard and Hayes are set to return to the company at some point, and it was noted earlier in the week that their absences weren't any indication of a "changing of the guard" behind-the-scenes. Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that the officials' absences are not related to each other. Hayes is one of the company's longest-tenured producers, with nearly 30 years in the business.