When the key time slot of 11:35 p.m. ET was offered back to Jay Leno in 2010, Conan O’Brien actually had the option of staying on as host of The Tonight Show, with the caveat that its time slot would be bumped back to 12:05 a.m. O’Brien chose to leave NBC rather than take the later time slot, and so Leno regained The Tonight Show and O’Brien ultimately moved to TBS.
At the time, however, it seemed more like NBC and Leno were determined to get the 11:35 p.m. slot back for Leno, no matter what, and O’Brien seemed like the wronged party.
Leno’s comments to THR indicate that he’s made his peace with the reactions, but he clearly hasn’t forgotten them.