Supernatural is a show about family just as much as it is monsters — so why did Jeffrey Dean Morgan's John Winchester leave the series so early on? John Winchester was far from the perfect father — he was brash, violent, and frequently absent from the boys' lives — but the man taught the infamous Winchester brothers much of what they know about hunting the supernatural as part of the "family business." Yet while he may have been physically absent for much of the series, John Winchester's presence is still very much felt throughout Supernatural.
Supernatural begins with Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) embarking on a cross-country search for their father after he mysteriously vanishes while on a hunt. John Winchester plays a driving force in Supernatural's early days, but his role as a recurring character was severely limited after the beginning of Supernatural season 2 when John was killed by the demon Azazel. While John Winchester would appear in sporadic episodes following his season 2 demise — sometimes as a ghost or a victim of altered timelines — Morgan's appearance on the series decreased significantly from that point on.
Despite the bevy of rumors swirling in 2006, The reason Morgan left Supernatural is much more straightforward than John's exit; he was simply too busy to continue the series. Morgan's career at the time was beginning to take off, and during his time on Supernatural, the actor was balancing roles on two other series — Weeds and Grey's Anatomy — as well as filming movies like P.S I Love You and Jam. Scheduling conflicts made it impossible for Morgan to continue his recurring role, though the actor appeared for special episodes — including the series's 300th episode, season 14 episode 13, "Lebanon," where the entire Winchester family was reunited for a brief period of peace.
To this day, Morgan still maintains a good relationship with his old Supernatural co-stars. Morgan, Ackles, and Padalecki are still very close friends, with Padalecki and Ackles lovingly referring to Morgan as their "father"— and the trio even got matching tattoos at Morgan's 2019 wedding to Hilarie Burton. On his Instagram, the Walking Dead star wrote that the trio "have a bond that is both special, and permanent." After Morgan's initial 2006 exit from the series, Supernatural writer Sera Gamble subsequently stated that the series "would love to have him back, but he's really busy" (via Digital Spy), further indicating that despite his departure, Morgan remains a beloved member of the Supernatural family.
Though Supernatural ended in 2020, there is still an opportunity for Morgan to reprise his role as the Winchester patriarch. The CW is preparing a Supernatural prequel spin-off — The Winchesters — which follows the life and adventures of John and Mary Winchester before the birth of their sons. Though Drake Rodger has been cast to play a young John Winchester, it is still possible that Jeffrey Dean Morgan could once again step back into his role as Supernatural's legendary John Winchester.