Shemar Moore Calls Himself the ‘Tom Brady of S.W.A.T.’ Spinoff as He Addresses Drama Over New Cast

Shemar Moore won’t forget where he came from.

Hours after news broke he would be the only returning cast member to join the S.W.A.T. spinoff, the actor, who plays Hondo Harrelson, reflected the original show’s legacy — which came to an end earlier this month — and shared his excitement for the new series in a message on Instagram.

“It’s gonna be a long one, but an honest one,” Moore, 55, began the video. “This is from my heart. Now I might catch some flak from the industry with what I’m about to say, and probably, most likely, from the fans. Nobody likes change. I understand that. I get it 100%, but without change, you can’t grow. You can’t win without taking your lumps. S.W.A.T. EXILES, baby, we won the battle.”

He went on to explain how the predecessor has paved the way for a new era: “We won the battle because we showed up for eight years strong, together, a team. We won the battle because we showed up every day and we fought the fight. We defied the odds. It ain’t easy making it in the game of Hollywood. It ain’t. TV shows don’t last eight years anymore. The game has changed. But S.W.A.T. EXILES, baby. S.W.A.T. EXILES is bigger, bolder. S.W.A.T. on steroids.”

Moore then said that he is “excited and grateful” for the support from people around the world, attributing the continuation of S.W.A.T.’s story to them.

“Y’all paid attention. Y’all tuned in. You rallied for us eight years,” he continued. “We won, and without those eight years, there is no future of S.W.A.T., and there is a future for S.W.A.T., and it’s called S.W.A.T. EXILES. So, we start shooting this summer. I’m not saying I’m Tom Brady, but I’m the Tom Brady of S.W.A.T. — that’s not arrogant, that’s not ego, it’s the fact. I’m the quarterback. I’m Shemar Moore, aka Hondo.”

Still, Moore acknowledged those the show is leaving behind, calling his former costars “a strong squad, a family, a team,” as he shouted out several of their names.

“Just like in sports, Tom Brady might be the quarterback, but people get traded,” he noted of the legendary football player. “Tight end gets traded, the right running back gets traded, the receivers get traded, but the teams keep on pushing with their quarterback, and I’m that guy. So proud, so grateful. Not going to apologize for nothing. Busted my ass for 31 years to do what I do, and excited about the future.”

Happy that something he is so passionate for “gets to keep playing ball,” Moore added that this is also an opportunity to save the crew’s jobs and keep their families stable.

“Yeah, a little bit bittersweet in some ways,” he admitted. “But man, at the end of the day, we gotta be so proud. We gotta be so proud because we did the damn thing, the world took notice, and the industry took notice. Shows get canceled all the time, but S.W.A.T. just won’t die.”

“Because y’all love S.W.A.T.,” he concluded. “Y’all love that crazy action. You love the stories, you love the brotherhood, the sisterhood, all of that. That’s who we are. That’s who S.W.A.T. is. A thrill ride with heart. So on this day, we celebrate, but we pay homage to what got us there and to the people that got us there. And I will never forget, always appreciate, always show love. S.W.A.T. EXILES, baby. Start shooting this summer, and it’s gonna be big. So get ready.”

The spinoff is set to begin after “a high-profile mission goes sideways” and Moore’s Hondo comes out of retirement to spearhead an experimental S.W.A.T. unit. The group, comprised of inexperienced recruits, must overcome clashing personalities and generational divides as Hondo seeks to “turn a squad of outsiders into a team capable of protecting the city and saving the program that made him who he is,” according to the official logline.

S.W.A.T. EXILES‘s first season will feature 10 episodes, with production slated to begin this summer in Los Angeles.

Jason Ning will serve as showrunner and executive producer, while Neal H. Mortiz, Pavun Shetty, James Scura and Shemar Moore will executive produce.