<em>NCIS</em> officially rules out Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ proper return for the foreseeable future. It has been five years since Mark Harmon left the procedural with his character’s retirement. His exit led to the show having to find its identity again, considering that he had been the face of the project since its inception in 2003. NCIS season 23 inched the procedural near the end of that process, as it finally found its footing again following a couple of disappointing years, with the run full of compelling twists and several comebacks.

The 2025-2026 TV cycle was transformative for NCIS. It started the year with the returns of Vera Strickland and Ellie Bishop, and towards the end, it wrapped up Rocky Carroll’s 18-year run on the show with the death of Director Leon Vance. As if that wasn’t a big-enough twist, the penultimate episode of the season confirmed the return of Gibbs to the DMV, albeit with no physical appearance from Harmon. This led many to believe that it was just a matter of time before he finally made a proper comeback, but the chances of that happening are very small to none.

Gabriel LaRoche’s NCIS Return Rules Out Gibbs’ NCIS Return

In the NCIS season 23 finale, Gabriel LaRoche officially returned with the intent of becoming the new director. He made that clear to Alden Parker and had no problem tarnishing the legacy of Vance if it meant that he could claim the vacant post. Considering that, MCRT has to be very careful when dealing with him, as he has long proven that he would stop at nothing for political gain. Considering Parker and Gibbs taking matters into their own hands when dealing with Wayne Rogers, it will be best if Harmon’s character continues to stay in Alaska, so as not to draw any connections between them.

Harriet Parker already has an idea that her brother had something to do with what happened with the mastermind to Vance’s murder. The rest of the MCRT also pieced two and two together after learning about what happened to Rogers. If LaRoche ever finds any link to the crime and Parker, he will undoubtedly use it to his advantage in his bid to take over the agency.

When Can Gibbs Return In NCIS (& Will He Even Want To?)

This doesn’t mean that Gibbs can never physically appear again in NCIS. Showrunner Steven D. Binder has been clear about making sure that they utilize the character effectively, and they decided to debut his first proper storyline in modern times in NCIS season 23. Right now, a lot of things are still uncertain in the series, but assuming that LaRoche never succeeds in his endeavor and the agency is once again led by a trustworthy character, the path would be clear for Gibbs’ Navy Yard comeback.

Based on the updates about the character, however, since he retired from the agency, there’s only one thing that would have him leave Alaska, and that’s to be of assistance to the team whenever their backs are against the wall. He didn’t return for Ducky’s funeral or Vance’s send-off, which might be odd for some, but it’s safe to say that he honored them in his own way. However, he will be more than willing to get out of retirement if it means that he could help MCRT, which was the case in NCIS season 23.

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