He Was Already Gone In The Series Premiere

Although Joe Reagan was a beloved member of the Reagan family, he has not appeared on-screen except in occasional flashbacks or home videos. He was already gone during the pilot episode, with his death casting a shadow on his whole family. Throughout Blue Bloods season 1, their grief was raw, with Joe’s absence motivating a few overarching narratives. One major storyline during those early years was about Jamie leaving his dream of becoming a lawyer to become a cop in the hopes of finding out what happened to his brother.

Joe’s importance in Blue Bloods cannot be overstated. His death remains an important part of the Raegans’ story, whether they are saying grace at one of the iconic Blue Bloods family dinners, remembering an anniversary, or dealing with Joe Hill’s attitude toward the father he never knew. It is impressive that Joe Reagan feels as real and familiar as the characters who have been in the series for fourteen years, considering he died before the first episode and thus can only be known through what other characters say about him.

He Was Killed By A Group Of Corrupt Cops

Joe Reagan had been working undercover for the FBI at the time of his death to infiltrate and expose a group of corrupt cops known as the Blue Templar in Blue Bloods. The Blue Templar had originally been an unofficial organization that policed the force but had become corrupted. They believed they were above the law and engaged in criminal activity, most notably killing witnesses at drug busts and stealing the money used in the operation to distribute among its members. Joe was killed when he got too close to exposing the group.