Shemar Moore reflects on ‘S.W.A.T.’ spinoff, ‘bigger, bolder. S.W.A.T. on steroids’

Shemar Moore is keeping his badge — and he’s not letting go of the legacy that got him there. Just hours after it was revealed he’ll be the only returning cast member in the upcoming S.W.A.T. spinoff, S.W.A.T. EXILES, the 55-year-old actor took to Instagram with a heartfelt — and let's be honest, pretty epic — video message to fans. And yes, he brought the passion, the gratitude, and just the right amount of Tom Brady comparisons.

"It's gonna be a long one, but an honest one," Moore began, setting the tone for a very real, very Shemar moment. 

“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.”

Moore, who’s played Hondo Harrelson for eight years, took a victory lap — and rightly so. He reminded everyone how rare it is for a TV show to last that long these days. 

“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.”

Of course, Moore isn’t just showing up — he’s leading the charge. 

“Y’all paid attention. Y’all tuned in. You rallied for us eight years,” he said, expressing gratitude for the global fan base. 

“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, he's not forgetting the people who made the last eight years so special. Moore took a moment to shout out his former costars, calling them “a strong squad, a family, a team.” 

But he also got real about change, likening it to what happens in sports. 

“Just like in sports, Tom Brady might be the quarterback, but people get traded,” he explained. “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.”

Moore didn’t hold back when it came to recognizing the grind it took to get here.

“Not going to apologize for nothing. Busted my ass for 31 years to do what I do, and excited about the future.” Beyond the hype and heart, he made it clear that this continuation isn’t just about keeping the story alive — it’s about keeping jobs alive too. 

“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.”

And with that, he closed the message with pure Shemar energy, “Because y’all love S.W.A.T.,” he said. 

“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.”