‘All American’: Taye Diggs Says He’d Return Again ‘In a Second’ Despite Character’s Death

Anything can happen in the world of television! In All American Season 5, Coach Billy Baker (Taye Diggs) was shockingly killed off in a bus crash. The character made a surprise return in Season 6 as he appeared in flashback scenes from his journal. The character has already returned once after his death—could we see him again in Season 7 or beyond?

“I would [return],” Diggs told TV Insider. “I had no idea how much fun it would be to kind of go back and and hang out with all the players and the actors and whatnot. I had a great time. That was a character that I had never imagined playing, and I did not realize how much fun it was going to be just hanging out with those young men and the camaraderie and the sports talk and just the silliness. We really got close, and it was so great coming back. I would come back in a second. It wouldn’t even be a question.”

All American premiered in 2018 with Diggs surrounded by up and coming actors who played Spencer (Daniel Ezra), Olivia (Samantha Logan), Jordan (Michael Evans Behling), Asher (Cody Christian), and more. The show has been renewed for Season 7, which is no small feat for any show.

Related

Daniel Ezra Not Returning to 'All American' as Series Regular For Season 7

“It is so wonderful watching these young people grow into young adults and seeing them improve as human beings and actors,” Diggs noted. “I feel like my son on All American might be falling into the footsteps of the character that I played, so that’s really cool.”

The show has progressed beyond high school and has followed the characters in various stages of life. Ezra’s character, Spencer, was drafted into the NFL and won the Super Bowl as a rookie at the end of Season 6. Diggs said it’s been “surreal” to see the journeys of the characters and actors over the years.

“You’re forced to reckon with the fact that we’re all getting older. But on the other hand, it’s really great just watching how life is and how it can change people and how people can grow and become more talented and experienced,” the Terry McMillan Presents: Forever star told TV Insider.

All American, Season 7, 2025, CW