Does Chris Meloni's NFL Series Mean 'Law and Order' Spinoff Is Canceled?

Christopher Meloni just scored a role in Dan Fogelman‘s upcoming football show on Hulu — but does that mean Law & Order: Organized Crime is canceled?

News broke on Wednesday, July 23, that Meloni is the first person cast in Fogelman‘s upcoming Hulu show, with William H. Macy in talks to join. Variety reported that the untitled series (tentatively referred to as 17 Sundays) is set inside the world of the NFL with a generational family component. Meloni, 64, will be playing the head coach of a team.

Meloni’s newest role had some fans confused, though, since he is currently the lead of Peacock’s Law & Order spinoff. Luckily, TVLine confirmed that the new project wouldn’t overlap with Organized Crime if it gets renewed for a sixth season. Organized Crime would return to production in the spring, while 17 Sundays would shoot in the fall.

Law & Order: Organized Crime has gone through quite a few shakeups since it premiered in 2021. When Meloni’s Law & Order: SVU character, Stabler, got his own show, Matt Olmstead took on the role of showrunner but ultimately stepped down later that year. He was replaced by Ilene Chaiken, who remained on the show for one season before Barry O’Brien took over.

Bryan Goluboff became the showrunner for season 3 but left after three months. He was replaced by Sean Jablonski, who left due to “creative differences” and David Graziano took over for the final episodes of the season.

“We’re able to be more gritty,” Law & Order: Organized Crime star Danielle Moné Truitt exclusively told Us Weekly in April. “Our show’s more gritty. We’re able to see and discuss topics that are just more edgy. We also get to curse, which is amazing.”

She continued: “It might not be a ton of it but as it goes on, you could tell we were getting more in the rhythm and everybody wasn’t worried about what was like allowed. It does elevate it. I think Peacock was also a great move for the show. I know a lot of people were disappointed because you have to pay for Peacock but I think for it was a good move for us.”

Law & Order: Organized Crime isn’t the only show to go through significant showrunner changes. The Handmaid’s Tale, which wrapped up its run on Hulu earlier this year, became a household name with Bruce Miller at the helm. The hit series then faced a change right before its sixth and final season when Miller stepped down as showrunner. He remained a writer and executive producer but passed on his duties to executive producers Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang.

There is also ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, which has been on the air for over two decades. Shonda Rhimes was the original showrunner for five seasons until Krista Vernoff joined her at the helm. One season later, Rhimes began working alongside Tony Phelan and Joan Rater and the pair remained in charge when Rhimes stepped down to focus on other projects.

From seasons 11 to 13, Stacy McKee and William Harper were the showrunners before McKee left and Vernoff returned. Vernoff was subsequently the sole showrunner from seasons 16 to 19 until Meg Marinis took over.