“All American” is hitting the field one last time. The beloved CW original was renewed for an eighth and final season on Monday, meaning the young adult era of the CW has finally come to an end. The final 13 episodes of the drama will air in 2026.
“‘All American’ is one of the greatest CW shows of all time and we are honored to bring it back for one final season to give fans a chance to say a meaningful goodbye to these inspiring characters and this incredible world,” Brad Schwartz, president of The CW Network, said in a statement to press. “We cannot wait to see the emotion, heart and magic that Nkechi Okoro Carroll and the entire cast and creative team deliver in giving this story the proper ending it deserves.”
Ever since Nexstar acquired the controlling stake of the CW from CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. in 2022, the network has been in the midst of a major rebranding. Right before that deal cleared, CW canceled 10 of its originals — three times as many cancellations as its annual average. Over they years, more shows from the old young adult-focused era of the network were axed, including the spinoff series “All American: Homecoming.” Now “All American” will be getting its farewell season as the network focuses more on live sports and events as well as acquired scripted series and co-productions.
From its first to its last episode, Season 7 of “All American” saw a 71% increase in viewership among adults 18-49 as well as a 55% jump among those aged 25-54. Those bumps are especially impressive given the fact that Season 7 serves as a reboot of sorts for the drama. As Jordan (Michael Evans Behling) starts his new career as a coach for South Crenshaw High, he and Layla (Greta Onieogou) mentor the next generation of high school talent.
“How do I condense into just a few words what would be the longest love letter to this show, the fans, the cast, crew, staff and producers. My heart is so filled with love and gratitude for everyone who helped bring ‘All American’ to life and kept it going for its historic run. It is so hard to say goodbye to the thing that you love, but we are so excited we get to do it in the way we envisioned with this final season,” executive producer Nkechi Okoro Carroll said.
In her note, Carroll thanked Schwartz, Channing Dungey, Brett Paul and Greg Berlanti as well as “the many executives at Warner Bros Discovery, CW and Berlanti Productions” who have supported the series over the years. She also thanked the series’ cast members, writers, crew and full staff “for raising the bar every episode” as well as Spencer Paysinger, who originally served as the inspiration for this story.
“And thank you to everyone who not only watched the show, but took Spencer James’s mantra of ‘Dream Big. Stay Real’ to heart and were inspired to chase their seemingly impossible dreams. We see you. We salute you. Here’s to leaving it all on the field one last time,” Carroll said.
The football drama first premiered in 2018 and quickly became a hit for the network. “All American” comes from Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios in association with Berlanti Productions. Carroll executive produces alongside Greg Berlanti, Jameal Turner, Sarah Schechter and David Strauss.
