Fan-favorite police procedural S.W.A.T is almost back on CBS with its latest eighth season, set to engage viewers with action-packed scenes and high-stakes operations. Following the original 1975 S.W.A.T TV series, the American police drama came out in 2017 and has had several notable characters throughout the previous seasons.
One of them is Jeffery "Jack" Mumford, a key character from season 1 played by Peter Onorati. Being a main character, viewers saw Onorati as the most tactical leader in the Los Angeles Police Department's SWAT team alongside Sergeant Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson, played by Shemar Franklin Moore.
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Since Jack Mumford became a popular character in the police procedural, fans didn't expect his demotion as a recurring figure. As seen in the first chapter, Jack stood against dangerous criminal activities, gang wars, and dr*g busts, and navigated through complex situations.
Despite the challenges, he remained a resilient and powerful leader with commendable skills. However, with the conclusion of S.W.A.T. Season 1, Peter Onorati's character didn't get much screen time and was finally written off from the main narrative.
Read more to explore the reasons behind Onorati's exit from the show.
What happened to Peter Onorati's Jack Mumford in the S.W.A.T TV series?
Dedicated S.W.A.T enthusiasts must remember Onorati's Jack as a strong leader in his team, and how his surprise appearances after season 2 feel nostalgic. As mentioned above, the actor departed from his role after season 1 but didn't completely vanish from the police procedural.
S.W.A.T. Season 2 Episode 19, Invisible, marked the end of Jack Mumford as a main figure in the drama. It was quite a shock for fans who didn't expect Onorati to leave the police procedural right after season 1.
As seen in the episode, Jack announced his retirement from his position as a commander and bid farewell to his teammates after a deadly incident. Jack's role was then helmed by Lou Ferrigno Jr.'s Donovan Rocker, a deserving colleague whom Jack trusts.
However, Jack Mumford's retirement was hinted at in S.W.A.T Season 2 Episode 17 titled Jack. The episode features the officers behind a group of carjackers and later discovering heroin in the stolen cars. While the mission was getting dangerous, Hondo had to make a big decision regarding Daryl.
The episode takes a startling turn when Jack Mumford is shot in the head during the mission. The commander had the SWAT helmet on, which prevented a fatal injury or death. However, the traumatic incident led Jack to rethink before getting back to his job as a SWAT officer. Mumford decided to give a 30-day notice and his near-death experience ultimately resulted in his retirement.
The reason behind Peter Onorati's departure from S.W.A.T
While the exact reason behind the actor's departure wasn't shared by CBS, Peter Onorati talked about his role as Jack Mumford in S.W.A.T on his X (formerly Twitter) account. Mumford expressed gratitude and wrote:
"To all SWAT fans. Even though I left in the 2nd season, I want you all to know how much your attention to this show meant to me and the rest of the cast. It truly was one of the best jobs of my career, mostly because of YOU - ROLL ON"
The actor did leave the CBS drama, but as mentioned above, he surprised fans by appearing in one episode of S.W.A.T. Season 4 and 7 each. In the fourth season, Mumford showed up in episode 11 titled Positive Thinking to solve a case involving a drug dealer.
Mumford joined forces with Hicks to hunt down the criminal as he previously killed Mumford's goddaughter. Analyzing the intensity of the case, Hondo and his teammate also joined the two and tracked down the drug ring.
After season 4, Jack Mumford again appeared in S.W.A.T. season 7, but this time he didn't join the officers in a case but in recalling the memories with Hicks and Bucks when the three met in a bar after a tiring day.
Season 8 has arrived, and who knows if Peter Onorati will again make a surprising appearance as Jack Mumford. Make sure you do not miss the new episode of season 8, arriving today at 8 PM ET and 5 PM PT.
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