Blue Bloods series finale honors Leonard Goldberg (dedication explained)

After 14 amazing seasons and more than 200 episodes, Blue Bloods ended its run on December 13 with a series finale event that brought together all of the Reagans for one final farewell. It seems only fitting that after the show’s final scene came to a close and the credits began, CBS used the finale to pay tribute to a beloved member of the Blue Bloods family. 

“In loving memory of our founder and mentor Leonard Goldberg,” read the dedication card that ran at the end of the series finale, “End of Tour.” 

The dedication card was designed to honor the late Goldberg, who sadly passed away five years back on December 5, 2019, at the age of 85. While his name might not immediately ring a bell among fans because he was not a member of the cast, Goldberg played a key role in creating the show we’ve come to know and love over the years. 

Not only did Goldberg serve as an executive producer on the show across its ten seasons up until his death in 2019, but he’s also the driving force that led to the creation of the show. More than a decade before the show came to CBS, Goldberg had pitched the idea to CBS and he was the one who pitched Tom Selleck in the role of Commissioner Frank Reagan. As a member of the CBS Board of Directors, Goldberg was one of the biggest supporters of the show and it’s quite possible the show might not have found a home at the network and created a legacy as one of the best shows on the air. 

Following Goldberg’s death in 2019, Selleck was among many members of the cast members to pay tribute to him telling Deadline: 

“Leonard Goldberg was quite simply irreplaceable. As a creative force, as a boss, as a friend, as a husband, and a father. His unwavering commitment to our show inspired all of us to take to heart his frequently asked question, ‘What can we do to make it better?’ Rest in peace my friend.”

Fellow cast member Donnie Wahlberg also posted a tribute to Goldberg on social media at the time calling him one of the all-time greats.

As Wahlberg also pointed out in his tribute to Goldberg, he was also the man who gifted the show with what became one of its most iconic moments: the Reagan family dinner scenes. That’s right, it was Goldberg’s idea to incorporate the iconic family dinner scenes that have been incorporated into every episode of the show and become a favorite among fans. 

It seems only fitting that the show signed off the airwaves by honoring a man who played such a key role in helping bring the show we all know and love to the screen.