The doors of Firehouse 51 are swinging wide open again — but this time, some familiar boots are walking out while new ones march in. The highly anticipated Chicago Fire Season 14 premiere, titled “Kicking Down Doors,” has just dropped its first-look images, and fans are already buzzing about the seismic shifts heading to their favorite firefighting family.
From the bittersweet departures of longtime favorites like Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) to the arrival of an ambitious rookie, Sal Vasquez (Brandon Larracuente), the new season is setting up a rollercoaster ride of high-stakes rescues, fiery clashes, and fresh dynamics inside the firehouse.
Meet Sal Vasquez: The Rookie Who Thinks He Knows It All
Brandon Larracuente, best known for 13 Reasons Why and The Good Doctor, trades hospital scrubs for turnout gear as Sal Vasquez, Firehouse 51’s newest firefighter.
“Sal is good at his job and he knows it,” Larracuente teased in an interview. “He wants to be the best he can be at his job and to protect those around him while he’s doing it.”
But confidence can cut both ways in a world where hesitation or arrogance could cost lives. The first-look photos place Sal front and center in action, proving that he’s not one to fade quietly into the background. Still, his fiery energy might be too much for his new lieutenant, Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), who isn’t about to let a rookie run the show.
“Vasquez will prove a real challenge to Kidd, as well as to Novak (Jocelyn Hudon),” showrunner Andrea Newman revealed. “He’s one of those characters who’s impossible to pin down — and that can cause real tension.”
Goodbye Ritter, Hello New Era
While Sal is heating things up, fans will also have to brace themselves for an emotional farewell. Daniel Kyri’s Darren Ritter, a groundbreaking LGBTQ+ character who’s been a steady presence at Firehouse 51 since Season 7, will exit the series early this season.
NBC’s new stills show Ritter in one of his last heroic rescues, a poignant reminder of how much heart and courage he brought to the squad. Though details of his departure remain under wraps, Kyri has returned for a limited arc to give Ritter a meaningful send-off.
“It’s important to us that fans feel his exit honors everything Ritter represented,” Newman said.
Noticeably absent from the premiere photos are Jake Lockett’s Sam Carver and Michael Bradway’s Damon Severide — hinting their exits may have already been handled off-screen.
Herrmann and Mouch: A Battle for the Office
Not all the drama this season comes from raging infernos. Longtime best friends Herrmann (David Eigenberg) and Mouch (Christian Stolte) find themselves in a surprising tug-of-war.
The logline for “Kicking Down Doors” teases that Herrmann is stalling on handing over his office to Mouch, sparking tension in their decades-long bromance. For two characters who have laughed, cried, and nearly died together, this might just be the most personal battle yet.
Ambulance 51 Faces the Heat
With budget cuts sweeping through the CFD, Sylvie Brett’s absence still echoing, and calls coming in faster than ever, Ambulance 51 is barely keeping its head above water.
The premiere episode hints at new struggles for the medics, and fans are already speculating whether another paramedic might be added to the roster to help ease the overwhelming load. Could we see a new partner rolling up soon?
Season 14: A Year of Change
Between the painful goodbyes, fresh conflicts, and a bold new firefighter throwing himself into the flames, Chicago Fire Season 14 promises to be one of the most transformative yet.
As one era of Firehouse 51 closes and another begins, fans can expect exactly what this show has always delivered: family, sacrifice, heartbreak, and the courage it takes to run into burning buildings — and into each other’s lives.
Catch the Chicago Fire Season 14 premiere, “Kicking Down Doors,” this fall on NBC, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.
