10 One Chicago Exits That Left Fans Heartbroken (And Still Not Over It)

The One Chicago universe has experienced many significant losses across all series, but some have been more devastating than others. Heading into the 2025–2026 network TV season, NBC’s popular franchise (which includes Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Med, and Chicago Justice) has produced 36 seasons and almost 730 episodes, and it’s showing no signs of stopping. With more seasons and episodes on the way, there are sure to be many more heartbreaking departures, given the nature of the three current shows.

The One Chicago franchise features characters running into burning buildings, chasing down dangerous criminals, and treating patients in the emergency department of one of the city’s biggest hospitals. So, while some jobs are more perilous than others (looking at you, Chicago Fire), death is all around the characters. They lose people almost every season. Of course, some characters leave the One Chicago universe in one piece, but that doesn’t make their exits hurt any less. No matter how they leave, significant characters departing their respective series will always be upsetting.

10Leslie Shay

Played By Lauren German

Leslie Shay’s tragic death in Chicago Fire season 3 was the One Chicago franchise’s first major loss, and it still stings to this day. During the season 2 finale, almost the entire Firehouse 51 crew (sans Chief Boden) entered a building that seemingly only had a small fire inside. However, an explosion wracked the structure, leaving the audience wondering the fates of several characters. Unfortunately, they had to wait a few months until the season 3 premiere, which revealed that Shay had died in the explosion.

A falling pipe had struck Shay in the head, and there was no saving her (no matter how hard Gabby Dawson tried). The entire firehouse was left stunned by the loss of Shay, as was the audience. Watching the Chicago Fire characters, especially Kelly Severide, grieve Shay was heartwrenching, and even after all these seasons, Shay’s death is arguably the most devastating.

9Brian “Otis” Zvonecek

Played By Yuri Sardarov

The other character competing for Chicago Fire‘s most heartbreaking death is Brian “Otis” Zvonecek. Like Shay, Otis had been around since the show’s beginning. However, he lasted a few more seasons than the paramedic, as he died during the season 8 premiere, much to everyone’s surprise. Otis was a mainstay character, and his departure was certainly a hard pill to swallow.

During the procedural drama’s season 7 finale, Firehouse 51 responded to a mattress factory fire. Unfortunately, a boiler exploded inside, causing a backdraft that gravely wounded Otis when it thrust him against a steel door. Although it was closed by the impact, saving the other firefighters, it would lead to Otis’s Chicago Fire death. He died from his injuries at the hospital. But before he left, Otis told Cruz, in Russian, “Brother, I will be with you always,” completely wrecking viewers and ensuring that the loss of Otis would never be forgotten.

8Chief Wallace Boden

Played By Eamonn Walker

Thankfully, Eamonn Walker’s Chief Wallace Boden didn’t die when he left Chicago Fire. Nevertheless, his departure was quite upsetting. Boden had served as Firehouse 51’s chief since season 1, and it felt like it would always be that way. But, everything changed during the season 12 finale when Boden accepted a new position as the Chicago Fire Department’s Deputy Commissioner.

Boden can no longer be regularly seen hanging around Firehouse 51, as Dermot Mulroney’s Chief Dom Pascal is now in charge, and that has been difficult getting used to.

Thankfully, the new role meant that Boden could realistically return to Chicago Fire, even after his exit (like in season 13, episode 18). His absence is still significant in the NBC procedural drama, though. Boden can no longer be regularly seen hanging around Firehouse 51, as Dermot Mulroney’s Chief Dom Pascal is now in charge, and that has been difficult getting used to.

7Darren Ritter

Played By Daniel Kyri

Chicago Fire lost two characters after season 13, with Darren Ritter being one of them, and this is an unjustifiable loss. For starters, the season 13 finale didn’t even write out Ritter’s character. This means that the reasoning behind his exit won’t be addressed until the season 14 premiere. As a result, it’ll likely happen with Ritter offscreen, which would be a complete slap in the face. Chicago Fire has often neglected Ritter, and losing him now due to budget cuts is utterly upsetting.

6Sam Carver

Played By Jake Lockett

The other character leaving Chicago Fire after season 13 is Sam Carver, who has been around Firehouse 51 for only a few seasons. However, that still gave Carver enough time to make a lasting impact on the show. His character had been a breath of fresh air, and just when his story was getting intriguing, NBC pushed him out.

Carver’s romance with Violet Mikami reintroduced epic love in Chicago Fire, as their will-they/won’t-they storyline and fantastic chemistry were a joy to watch. Carver’s addiction recovery arc was also one of the best parts of season 13. However, now he’s likely transferring to Denver following the Chicago Fire season 13 finale (despite Carver and Violet’s kiss at the end of the episode), leaving many upset with his departure.

5Erin Lindsay

Played By Sophia Bush

Moving on from the many Chicago Fire exits, Sophia Bush’s Erin Lindsay leaving Chicago PD was another difficult loss for the One Chicago universe. Bush was one of the franchise’s big names, and her character was a fan favorite. In spite of her popularity, the actress left the police procedural series, and her character accepted a job at the FBI field office in New York at the end of season 4. Unfortunately, Lindsay hasn’t been seen in Chicago PD since.

4Alvin Olinsky

Played By Elias Koteas

Whereas Sophia Bush’s Lindsay left the show in one piece, the same couldn’t be said for Alvin Olinsky. The original Chicago PD character died at the end of season 5. While Olinsky was in prison, Carlos DeLeon ordered a hit on the detective, resulting in Andre Gomez stabbing him. Olinsky later died from his injuries, leaving the rest of the Intelligence Unit (and the audience) stunned and heartbroken. Intelligence would never be the same after Olinsky’s departure.

3Jay Halstead

Played By Jesse Lee

The news that Jesse Lee Soffer was leaving Chicago PD left the One Chicago fandom in utter disarray. Like some of the other characters on this list, Jay Halstead was a favorite among viewers. So, learning that Soffer was leaving the NBC police procedural TV series felt like a punch in the gut for many.

The good news is that Soffer could reprise his role as Halstead in Chicago PD in the future. He left the show unharmed, choosing to re-enlist in the Army. As far as the audience knows, Halstead has been busy tracking down drug cartels in Bolivia (and getting a divorce from Hailey Upton). Now that Soffer’s new show (FBI: International) has been canceled, perhaps Halstead could return in season 13.

2Hailey Upton

Played By Tracy Spiridakos

Once Halstead was gone, it felt like it was only a matter of time before Tracy Spiridakos’s Hailey Upton left Chicago PD, too, despite her importance to the show. Halstead and Upton were married. The writers couldn’t realistically keep them together, with Upton still in Chicago and Halstead serving overseas. So, they divorced the couple, and Upton exited the series at the end of season 11.

Like Halstead, Upton is still alive in the One Chicago universe. So, even though she moved out of the Windy City to get a fresh start, maybe Halstead’s theoretical return could convince Upton to come back to Chicago PD, as well. That might be a pipe dream, though, and the heartwrenching loss of Upton will be permanent.

1Connor Rhodes

Played By Colin Donnell

Chicago Med hasn’t featured many deaths (at least, when it comes to the main characters). But its character losses have still been quite upsetting, none more so than Dr. Connor Rhodes’s departure in season 5. Colin Donnell’s Connor had been around the medical drama since the pilot, and he was undoubtedly one of the show’s most intriguing characters. Sadly, the cardio-thoracic fellow decided to leave Gaffney Chicago Medical Center following the deaths of his father and ex-girlfriend. Connor wanted a fresh start, and he certainly deserved one. The One Chicago franchise still took a hit when Connor departed, though.