Why Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo Left NCIS

July 13, 2025

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Dedicated viewers of the long-running hit CBS procedural NCIS were saddened by season 13’s departure of Michael Weatherly, who played Tony DiNozzo since the beginning. Weatherly’s DiNozzo worked as one of the top-ranking agents under boss Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) on the Major Case Response Team. He also proved to be an integral part of NCIS‘ success.

One of the factors in Weatherly’s decision to leave was the loss of the dynamic between NCIS‘ Tony and Ziva. Weatherly missed the onscreen chemistry between the NCIS characters and working with Cote de Pablo. Beyond that, Weatherly had grown a bit bored with the NCIS role after 13 years and found himself itching to pursue other projects.

Michael Weatherly Left To Star In Bull

Weatherly Played Dr. Jason Bull

When Michael Weatherly opted to leave the series, a plausible reason was written that satisfied a lot of fans. Tony DiNozzo left NCIS after learning that he and Ziva had a daughter together. He left to help raise her.

To those on the outside looking in, it may seem hard to sympathize with someone growing tired of starring on a hit TV show…

Weatherly has not been inactive since leaving NCIS. It is also hard to judge his departure too harshly, despite how much NCIS fans adored DiNozzo. To those on the outside looking in, it may seem hard to sympathize with someone growing tired of starring on a hit TV show, similar to how Mark Harmon did ahead of NCIS season 19.

Yet, Weatherly is far from the first actor to get sick of playing the same character over the course of a long franchise, and he will not be the last. Weatherly certainly was not kidding about wanting to do something new, though. Weatherly very quickly moved on to play the lead in CBS’ hit legal drama Bull.

NCIS Showrunner Steven D. Binder Is Keen For A Tony DiNozzo Return

NCIS Would More Than Welcome Tony Back

Tony DiNozzo smiling in front of multiple monitors in NCIS

Now that Bull is over, many NCIS fans are hoping that Michael Weatherly will make a major comeback on the show — and showrunner Steven D. Binder would not mind. In an interview with TVLine, Binder made positive remarks about the actor. When asked whether Michael Weatherly would return to NCIS, Binder had this to say:

“Wouldn’t that be great? When [Michael] left NCIS, he said to me, ‘I am never going to do network television again.’ He had just had some kids, and the hours are so long… but then this Bull thing landed in his lap, and again he was working like a fiend. So I suspect — forgetting Tony DiNozzo for a minute — that Michael Weatherly is on vacation.”

It is hopeful that NCIS showrunner Steven D. Binder is optimistic about the idea of him coming back. A Tony DiNozzo return would always require both the actor and the studio to be on board. It’s relieving to many fans that, if Binder’s comments are anything to go by, the CBS half of the equation is enthusiastic about the prospect.

Michael Weatherly Had A Controversial Career Pre-NCIS

Weatherly Was Part Of A Show With A Dark Past

Michael Weatherly blowing up a balloon in The Cosby Show

Long before he played Tony DiNozzo on NCIS, Michael Weatherly started acting professionally on television in 1991. He moved from one-episode sitcom stints to arcs on soap operas and dramas before NCIS made him a household name. His very first TV series role, however, is an uncredited one on a now controversial family sitcom.

Michael Weatherly appeared as the roommate of Theo Huxtable (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) on an episode of The Cosby Show. In the episode “Theo’s Final Final”, Theo and his friends were busy preparing for a big party after their final exams. That’s where Weatherly appeared, putting up party supplies and interacting with Theo’s other friends.

At the time, Weatherly’s spot on the show would not have been controversial. The controversy stems from the fact that the family sitcom is always going to be associated with Bill Cosby, who has since been arrested for sexual assault. The series is forever linked to the charges, despite Weatherly’s innocent appearance on the sitcom.

Tony Returned For Ducky’s Send-Off Episode

“The Stories We Leave Behind” Marks Weatherly’s Only Return To NCIS

After Michael Weatherly left NCIS in 2016, Dinozzo returned for a brief cameo in NCIS season 21, episode 2, “The Stories We Leave Behind.” The episode honors David McCallum’s contributions as Ducky after the actor passed away. DiNozzo’s role in the episode is small but heartfelt as he pays tribute to his late friend.

Weatherly’s return in NCIS season 21 is also the actor’s only return to the show following his departure in season 13. While he has been mentioned several times, his small cameo in season 21 remains his only one so far. However, Weatherly is returning to the NCIS franchise in a major way.

Michael Weatherly Is Returning As Tony DiNozzo In NCIS: Tony & Ziva

Tony And Ziva Will Finally Reunite On-Screen

After Weatherly’s disappointing NCIS exit and Tony and Ziva’s unfinished storyline, Weatherly will finally be able to reprise his role as DiNozzo in NCIS: Tony & Ziva. The series marks the NCIS franchise’s first show that focuses exclusively on a pair rather than a team. It will also be the first NCIS spinoff to air exclusively on streaming.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva will air in the fall of 2025 on Paramount+.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva will feature Tony, Ziva, and their daughter, Tali, as they navigate new challenges in their life in Europe. The spinoff will expand their storyline past NCIS canon and hopefully bring new mysteries and challenges to the couple. NCIS: Tony & Ziva will also mark Weatherly and de Pablo’s first NCIS appearance together since NCIS season 11.

Source: TVLine

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