Coach is moving out of the New Girl loft — again! — in the show’s season 4 finale, but this is probably not the last you’ll see of Damon Wayans Jr.‘s roommate on the Fox sitcom.
“I think the goodbye to Coach for us, specifically to the guys, was more of a we’ll see you later. He’s just not living with us anymore,” Max Greenfield told Us Weekly ahead of the star’s big exit.
Wayans Jr.’s character, Coach, was introduced in the series premiere, but “moved out” when Wayans’ comedy Happy Endings was picked up by ABC. After the fan favorite sitcom was canceled, he headed back to New Girl — so there’s a precedent for his return.
“I have a feeling that we’ll see Damon again. I don’t know this, this hasn’t happened yet, but I’d be surprised if Damon didn’t come back for a few here and there,” Greenfield revealed. “I think myself, Jake [Johnson], Lamorne [Morris], and Hannah [Simone] will force him to if necessary.”
In last week’s episode, Coach made the decision to move to New York with his new girlfriend, May (Meaghan Rath), and Wayans’ costar Simone said the big change “makes perfect sense.” “This is about a group of friends who are growing up,” she explained to Us Weekly. “You meet people, you fall in love, you have to make hard decisions, but they’re the right ones for you for the next chapter in your life. I think it was a really lovely way to treat the Coach exit.”
Simone also echoed Greenfield’s sentiments about a possible return. “This is the second time, so hopefully the door stays open, you know? It doesn’t feel like a forever goodbye, just like with your real friends it doesn’t feel like a forever goodbye. They’re just moving to be with the person they’ve fallen in love with.”
The New Girl season 4 finale airs Tuesday, May 5 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
