How Stephen Nichols Has Changed Since His Debut On Days Of Our Lives

"Days of Our Lives" fans have watched and loved Stephen Nichols for decades. The actor first debuted on the NBC soap opera back in 1985 as a character named Steve Johnson, per Soap Central. Of course, many "DOOL" viewers still refer to the character by his famous nickname, Patch, due to the fact that he wears an eye patch after losing his eye in a fight with his best friend Bo Brady (Peter Reckell). Steve is the oldest of the Johnson children, which include siblings Adrienne (Judi Evans) and Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford).

Upon coming to Salem, Steve met Kayla Brady (Mary Beth Evans). The two fell in love and became one of the soap's most iconic super couples, who fans lovingly refer to as "Stayla." Over the years, Steve has been involved in a number of crazy plot twists and storylines. However, he and Kayla always find their way back to each other, giving "DOOL" fans something to cheer for on a regular basis.

Of course, after decades of appearing on the sudser, Nichols has gone through many changes himself.

Stephen Nichols became a huge hit among "Days of Our Lives" fans after his character Steve "Patch" Johnson showed up in Salem in 1985. Nichols earned an Emmy Nomination for the role, as well as five Soap Opera Digest Best Actor Awards early on in his career on the show. However, he opted to exit the soap in 1990, per Soap Hub.

Of course, Nichols has been a staple on "DOOL" over the years and has returned time and time again to reprise his famous role. However, when he's away from the soap, he's appeared on other sudsers such as "General Hospital" and "Port Charles." He also played the role of Tucker McCall on "The Young and the Restless" for a time. In addition to taking on other soap roles, Nichols' family dynamic has changed in the years since he first debuted as Steve Johnson. He and his wife Lisa Gordon have raised three children, Vanessa, Dylan, and Aaron, all of whom are now grown adults (via She Knows Soaps).

In 2021, Nichols shared a throwback photo of himself and his kids on social media, revealing that while they may be adults now, he still cherishes the memories of their childhood. "Grateful that I was able to give them a strong foundation on which to build their own lives," he captioned one sweet snap on Instagram.