Howard Rollins starred alongside O'Connor in a role that reimagines Poitier's character as a native of Sparta (the Mississippi town where the series and film take place) who travels north to Philadelphia where he establishes his career as a detective before returning home. The success of the series can be largely attributed to the dynamic of O'Connor and Rollins, who initially butt heads but soon establish a friendship in their shared work.

Rollins' tenure with the series was unfortunately marred by personal legal problems. He was dropped from the show in 1993, with writers explaining his absence by having Tibbs become an attorney upon graduating from law school (he'd later return as a guest star in the series's 7th season). The actor passed away in 1996, and after his turn as Tibbs in In the Heat of the Night came to an end, he had a role in New York Undercover. His final role was in the 1996 film Harambee!