For the third and final season of All American: Homecoming, Damon Sims (Peyton Alex Smith) was no longer a series regular on the CW drama for an unfortunate reason.
One of the leads in Seasons 1 and 2, Damon was Bringston's talented and popular baseball player and a member of a love triangle, competing with Martin Bobb-Semple's Lando for a relationship with Simone Hicks, played by Geffri Maya.
Did Damon Leave All American: Homecoming?
Former All American: Homecoming star Peyton Alex Smith was not a series regular for the show's third season (check out the full Season 3 cast of All American: Homecoming).
Instead, Smith's Damon was a recurring character with reduced episode guarantees due to Nexstar acquiring The CW and slashing the network's budget to achieve profitability.
Still, this wasn't a complete surprise. Before All American: Homecoming was renewed in 2023, significant budget cuts (via Deadline) were expected to reduce the number of series-regular stars.
When asked how Peyton Alex Smith's absence would affect Homecoming's third season (via TVLine), showrunner Nkechi Okoro confirmed, "Peyton isn't off the show" and that "Damon and his impact at the school will continue on:"
"Peyton isn’t off the show; he just won’t be a series regular, which is not just the case for him but other cast members as well. What I can say about that is that the character of Damon and his impact at the school will continue on."
Okoro further assured fans that the "essence of what is at the heart" of Homecoming "stays the same:"
"The essence of what is at the heart of the 'Homecoming' story for both characters, both sports, the pursuit of a dream for this ensemble cast… all of that stays the same."
Unfortunately, All American: Homecoming was cancelled in June 2024, meaning Season 3 was its last.
Damon Sims' All American: Homecoming Season 3 Role
Season 3's first episode, "Ready or Not," spotlighted Damon (and Alex Peyton Smith's All American: Homecoming future) as he discovers Bringston is looking to shut down two academic programs, including baseball.
Damon needs to find a new school to fulfill his last year of eligibility before the MLB. But he then receives an opportunity to go pro in the Dominican Republic, which means a long-distance relationship between him and Simone.
This particular set-up doesn't work for Simone, and she thinks they should break up for now.
Fast-forward to the Season 3 finale (and the series conclusion), where Damon returns to Bringston while Simone confesses her feelings for Lando. While Damon initially wanted to revisit his relationship with Simone, he now recognizes the deep bond between her and Lando. He admits that they grew apart and became different people while separated.
Seasons 1-3 of All American: Homecoming are streaming on Netflix.
