Mark Harmon isn’t sure if Leroy Jethro Gibbs will ever return to NCIS—and he’s not been asked to come back either.
At the Television Critics Association summer press tour on July 13, Harmon, 72, discussed narrating the upcoming NCIS: Origins prequel and reflected on his 2021 exit from the main show. He explained that leaving wasn’t a decision to quit but rather a matter of timing. “It was the right time to push away a little bit,” Harmon said, adding that he was happy with how his character’s storyline was handled. “The show continued on,” he noted.
When asked about a potential return as Gibbs, Harmon admitted he didn’t have the answers. “I’ve been asked that a lot… but I’ve always let the writers do what they want to do,” he said. Harmon, still an executive producer on NCIS, hasn’t portrayed Gibbs since season 19.
After the panel, when directly asked if NCIS had reached out to him about returning, Harmon responded, “Not that I’m aware of.” He gave a similar reply when asked about appearing in the show’s eventual series finale: “I don’t know. It’s really about feeling like you’re fulfilled with a role or complete with a role.”
Harmon first appeared as Gibbs in 2003 and led the series for 18 years. His final on-screen appearance in 2021 marked Gibbs’ symbolic departure to Alaska, passing the torch to Timothy McGee (Sean Murray). “What has always drawn me here is the character I play and to keep it fresh and challenging,” Harmon explained.
He reassured fans that Gibbs is still alive in the NCIS universe, saying, “I’m not retired. The character is living in Alaska as far as I know.”
NCIS co-showrunner Steven D. Binder also commented on Gibbs’ absence, saying the door is always open for his return. “But when we bring him back, we’re not going to bring him back for two minutes. It’s got to be something special.”
