“Earlier this year, Mark Harmon abruptly left NCIS after an incredible 423 episodes. After Leroy Jethro Gibbs left the show in mid-October, his final episode left fans inconsolable.

Though Harmon has left the possibility of making a comeback open, it is unclear what lies ahead for him. He wants to spend more time with his family for the time being, as they are the ones who ironically helped him land the NCIS job in the first place.

Recently, more information about Mark Harmon’s departure from NCIS has surfaced, including a unique request he made prior to his final episode.

Mark Harmon was born September 2, 1951, in Burbank, California. Given his parents, it was safe to assume he was destined to head towards a career in football or acting: his father, Tom Harmon, was a former football player-turned-broadcaster; his mother, Elyse Know, was an artist and actress.

Harmon has acknowledged that when he was younger, he was unaware of his parents’ celebrity.

He often followed his father when he was the game broadcaster when he was younger. Years later, his father would win back his favor by watching Mark compete for the UCLA Bruins as a quarterback for two seasons.

For Mark, playing football was a real career option at that point. But his dreams were of a grander stage; he desired a career in theater or film…”