Mark Harmon is officially back as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in a jaw-dropping NCIS: Origins crossover, airing Veterans Day, November 11, 2025, on CBS. After four years away, Gibbs returns not just for a cameo, but for a powerful one-hour special that connects the past and present in an emotional, timeline-twisting story. Fans are thrilled to see the legendary Marine back in action as the series bridges Gibbs’ early days in 1991 with a high-stakes 2025 investigation. “Gibbs is the heart of NCIS—bringing him back feels like coming home,” said showrunner David J. North, teasing an unforgettable reunion that’s already taking social media by storm.

The special, titled “Reckoning on the Ridge,” intertwines the worlds of NCIS: Origins and NCIS in a cinematic event packed with nostalgia, secrets, and iconic cameos from Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo. Living in Alaskan seclusion since his 2022 exit, Gibbs emerges once more as the moral anchor of the NCIS universe. With more than four million posts under #GibbsReturns, fans are calling it “the comeback we never thought we’d see.” As NCIS celebrates 500 episodes, Harmon’s return isn’t just television history—it’s proof that true heroes never really leave; they just wait for the right moment to return.