Jason Sudeikis Contemplated Rejecting Ted Lasso's Lucrative Offer
WHO:
US Magazine - Jason Sudeikis, actor and creator of "Ted Lasso"
Page Six - Jason Sudeikis, actor and creator of "Ted Lasso"; Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Phil Dunster, cast members of "Ted Lasso"
WHAT:
US Magazine - Jason Sudeikis revealed he was initially hesitant to return for Season 4 of "Ted Lasso" because he felt "the story was told" and did not want to "uproot their life to justify the money truck."
Page Six - Sudeikis stated, “It is infectious to play a character who sees the best in people and isn’t mad at the world for all its foibles and bullies and shadows.”
Page Six - Sudeikis mentioned that he "needed" the show as much as other people do.
US Magazine - Jason Sudeikis revealed he had to make "very difficult" individual phone calls to former cast members of "Ted Lasso" to inform them that the fictional AFC Richmond team would not return for Season 4.
The Independent - The child actor who plays Henry, Sudeikis's character's son, has been recast; Grant Feely will take over the role in the new episodes.
The Independent - An official logline for Season 4 states: “Ted returns to Richmond, taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team. Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would.”
US Magazine - Jason Sudeikis revealed he almost turned down a fourth season of "Ted Lasso" despite a lucrative offer.
Page Six - Sudeikis was earning $1 million per episode for Season 3 of "Ted Lasso."
Page Six - Season 4 of "Ted Lasso" is set to premiere on Aug. 5 on Apple TV.
Page Six - Ted Lasso will return to coach a women’s team in Season 4.
Page Six - Phil Dunster will no longer be a series regular in Season 4.
WHERE:
Page Six - The show "Ted Lasso" is set in England, where Ted Lasso coaches a football team.
WHEN:
Page Six - Season 3 of "Ted Lasso" ended in 2023.
Page Six - The custody battle between Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde was settled in September 2023.
WHY:
Page Six - Sudeikis was the only holdout regarding returning for Season 4, partly due to his public split from Olivia Wilde.
US Magazine - Sudeikis felt that the story of "Ted Lasso" was complete at the end of Season 3, stating, “The story was told. Ted went home to be with his son.”
Page Six - Sudeikis initially turned down the offer for Season 4 because he did not want to justify a return for financial reasons.
HOW:
The Independent - Sudeikis made "very difficult" individual phone calls to inform former cast members that the fictional AFC Richmond team would not return for Season 4, stating, “Because I didn’t want them to hear it on the internet.”
Page Six - Sudeikis described his decision to turn down the offer as not a negotiation tactic, emphasizing his commitment to the story's integrity.
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 15:27 UTC)
Jason Sudeikis recently shared that he was initially hesitant to return for Season 4 of "Ted Lasso," feeling that "the story was told" and not wanting to "uproot their life to justify the money truck." He emphasized the joy of playing a character who sees the best in people and admitted that he "needed" the show just as much as its fans do. Sudeikis, the last cast member to confirm his return, made "very difficult" phone calls to inform his former co-stars about the fictional AFC Richmond team's absence in the upcoming season, ensuring they wouldn't find out through social media.
--
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 05:53 UTC)
Jason Sudeikis has shared that he made some "very difficult" individual phone calls to former cast members of "Ted Lasso" to let them know the fictional AFC Richmond team will not be returning for Season 4. In an exciting twist, the child actor who plays Henry, Sudeikis's character's son, has been recast, with Grant Feely stepping into the role for the upcoming episodes. The official logline for Season 4 reveals that Ted will return to Richmond to take on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women’s football team, where he and the team will learn to take chances they never thought they would.
--
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 00:18 UTC)
Jason Sudeikis, the actor and creator of "Ted Lasso," revealed that he almost turned down a fourth season of the hit show, despite earning a staggering $1 million per episode for Season 3. He felt the story was complete at the end of Season 3, stating, “The story was told. Ted went home to be with his son,” but ultimately decided to return, with Season 4 set to premiere on August 5, where Ted will coach a women’s team, although Phil Dunster will no longer be a series regular.