Steve Austin Pays Tribute to "Mean" Gene Okerlund

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to pay tribute shortly after news broke that former WWE backstage interviewer "Mean" Gene Okerlund had died that morning.

"Just heard Mean Gene Okerlund has passed away," Austin shared. "As an interviewer, pitch man, announcer, or host, he was untouchable. Simply the best. Total professional with quick wit, sarcasm, humor, and that golden voice. Condolences to his friends and family."

Just heard Mean Gene Okerlund has passed away. As an interviewer, pitch man, announcer, or host, he was untouchable. Simply the best. Total professional with quick wit, sarcasm, humor, and that golden voice.
Condolences to his friends and family.

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) January 2, 2019

Okerlund died at the age of 76, and no information on the cause of death was released when the news broke.

Austin was one of many past and present WWE Superstars to offer their condolences.

"A voice and sound track to an entire era of our industry," Triple H wrote. "He was the star of some of @WWE's most memorable segments. 'Mean Gene' was beloved by all who got to work with him. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."

"Mean Gene I love you my brother HH," Hulk Hogan tweeted.

"RIP MY BROTHER GENE MEAN. YOU PUT ME OVER LIKE NOBODY. I LOVE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SINCE THE MINNESOTA. GIVE MY BROTHER NIKOLAI BUG HUG. GOD BLESS YOU. CAMERA MAN ZOOM IT," The Iron Shiek wrote.

"Of the very few regrets I harbor in my career, one was never getting to scream 'Mean Gene' when answering the queries of a man who presence was larger than life and ingrained in the better memories of my childhood," Samoa Joe tweeted. "RIP Mean Gene. My condolences to the Okerlund family."

"Mean Gene was the voice of millions of childhoods. Mine certainly. An honor to meet him. Condolences to his family," Big E wrote.

Originally a disc jockey in Omaha, Nebraska, Okerlund first broke into the wrestling business as a ring announcer and interviewer for the AWA in 1970. In 1984, he made the jump to the World Wrestling Federation, where he would become the top interviewer during the promotion's iconic Rock 'n Wrestling era. Okerlund left the company in 1993 and signed with WCW and stayed with WCW up until right before it was bought by the WWF in 2001. He made his return to Vince McMahon's promotion at WrestleMania X-Seven, and would continue to make sporadic television appearances all the way up through January 2018.