David Boreanaz reveals he would have been done with SEAL Team even if season 8 was happening

SEAL Team is about to unleash its seventh and final season and David Boreanaz is sharing what may be in store for his character and why he thinks it's a good time to end!

The show has had an interesting journey. Premiering on CBS in 2017, the series focuses on a Navy SEAL team undergoing dangerous missions across the world. Boreanaz stars as Bravo Unit's team leader Jason Hayes. Partway through season 5, the show moved to Paramount+ which allowed them to take on more adult situations like language and violence. 

The series has done well, with season 6 ending with Jason speaking out at a medal ceremony on his injuries and the toll they take, which the military ignored. That could get him in hot water as season 7 begins, which is confirmed as the final year.

Fans may be saddened by that but, speaking to TVInsider, Boreanaz shared that even if the show was getting an eighth season, he'd still likely be leaving as he believes this is a perfect sendoff point for Jason, who's still dealing with his health and mental problems. The man has faced up to his issues even as he's determined not to let it change him as a team leader.

"For us, it's like, alright, the trauma is your first kill. How do you deal with that? So starting the season it was like, okay, this is the perfect way to wrap that cycle up for this character. For me, I knew that that was the right way and I knew going in before the writers' strike that I was done. I had expressed my interest not to do the show anymore. I was finished regardless of even if they wanted to do two more seasons, one more season, I was done. So then the writers' strike hit and it became six months later and that had already been decided."

Boreanaz shared how he simply felt the toll of so many years on the team has become too much for Jason. It's not just the loss of teammates or the cost it's made in his personal life. Jason has always seen some of his faith in the military tested by the higher-ups making controversial decisions on political grounds and often feeling they're not making as much of a difference as he'd like. 

It also makes sense Boreanaz might have been wanting to leave. The man has been on TV almost continuously since his breakout role as vampire Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff along with starring in the long-running FOX drama Bones. With SEAL Team requiring so much physical work, the actor deserves a break. 

Before that happens, Jason and Bravo Team have one last big mission to undertake.

What's coming for Jason in SEAL Team season 7?

Boreanaz did share some hints at what season 7 will involve. As it begins, Bravo is being punished for Jason speaking out with what's intended to be a "milk run" assignment in Sweden. As fate will have it, a terrorist attack occurs and Bravo takes the lead in hunting the guilty party. They also have a new member Drew (Beau Knapp) coming in with Boreanaz hinting that it will cause conflict. 

"I think Jason knows more than what Drew's putting out or what he's hiding. Jason's peeked into that door. He knows because A, he's been there, [and] B, he has dealt with it and continues to deal with the trauma. You can try to deal with it, heal some of the trauma, but the process is always going to be there but you just handle it differently. That's what Jason does. So he can kind of read Drew pretty quickly. It's like this guy comes on and he's like, "I don't want anything to do with [everyone]," and Jason's like, "Dude, I've seen this before. I'm a few steps ahead of you. When that time comes, that vulnerability, I will be able to give insight into where I was at that time, how it will help you." And that's family."

Boreanaz also teased there will be some tension between Jason and girlfriend Mandy (Jessica Paré) but that perhaps it could lead to the pair tying the knot. He also shared he'll be directing an episode but his final words may be haunting for fans: "And I'm excited to see Jason Hayes, maybe a flag wrapped over his coffin at the end of this series. Never know."

That may be jarring to fans yet it could also be the only way Jason's story ends. Either way, Boreanaz has made it clear he always intended for season 7 to be the end of his time on SEAL Team and is ready to go out on a high note.

SEAL Team season 7 premieres Sunday, August 11 on Paramount+.