The team behind Abbott Elementary prioritized booking Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, as a guest star to authentically represent the show's setting.
In the Season 2 premiere episode Development Day, which aired in 2022, Janine books Gritty to meet her students. The mascot arrives a week early and ends up hugging Janine after her car gets booted.
Executive producer Patrick Schumacker said in an interview that Gritty was always a Philadelphia institution the show wanted to include. He noted efforts to populate the series with insider Philly elements like slang and local cameos.
The show has featured other Philadelphia sports figures across seasons. These include Jalen Hurts in Season 3, Kyle Schwarber and the Phillie Phanatic in Season 5, and DeVonta Smith also in Season 5.
Abbott Elementary is scheduled to return for Season 6 on ABC in Fall 2026.