New comments from NCIS co-showrunner Steven D. Binder may have quietly confirmed what many fans feared – Jessica Knight’s story may truly be coming to an end.
Knight, played by Katrina Law, has been part of the Major Case Response Team since Season 18 and officially joined the main cast in Season 19. But Season 21 began setting the stage for change when her father offered her his prestigious NCIS Far East position. Although she declined, the finale delivered another major opportunity: Knight accepted the role of Chief REACT Training Officer, a dream job that could pull her away from MCRT for good.
In a TVLine interview, Binder revealed that Knight’s exit was carefully structured, describing it as a “perfect way” to send her off – much like how NCIS previously handled the departures of Tony DiNozzo and Gibbs. He also pointed to her shifting relationship with Jimmy as another emotional factor making her departure feel natural and complete.
Katrina Law echoed those feelings in her own interview, suggesting Knight may have been settling instead of reaching her full potential – and hinting that her character was ready for something more.
Binder’s comparison to Tony and Gibbs is especially telling. Those exits weren’t temporary twists – they were true goodbyes. That makes Knight’s Season 21 ending feel less like a cliffhanger and more like a carefully planned farewell.
If Knight doesn’t appear in Season 22, Season 21 may already stand as her official sendoff. And fittingly, it gave her some of her strongest moments – from her powerful elevator speech about loyalty to truth, to emotional closure with Jimmy.
Whether Knight returns briefly or exits quietly, one thing is clear: NCIS gave her a meaningful, respectful goodbye – the kind reserved for characters who truly matter.
And if this is the end for Jessica Knight, she leaves behind one of the most memorable arcs in modern NCIS history.