The Chicago Fire season 13 finale marked a turning point for several characters — and it may only be the beginning. One of the biggest shifts came when Herrmann decided that life behind a desk isn’t for him. After briefly serving in a leadership role, he approached Commissioner Grissom with a proposal: step back into his firefighter position and let his longtime friend Mouch take on the role of lieutenant on Engine 51.
This move wasn’t made lightly. Earlier in the season, an efficiency expert warned of looming layoffs and mandatory resignations, and that threat weighed heavily on Herrmann’s mind. “They’ll be coming for both of us soon enough,” he told Mouch. But until that time comes, Herrmann made it clear he wants to be on the front lines with his best friend.
Big Changes Are Coming to Firehouse 51
The restructuring has only just begun.
Executive producer Andrea Newman confirmed that the looming CFD cuts are going to lead to serious shake-ups across the board. With firefighters and leadership alike at risk, Firehouse 51 won’t look the same when the show returns for season 14.
Two familiar faces — Jake Lockett (Sam Carver) and Daniel Kyri (Darren Ritter) — won’t be returning as series regulars, and notably, their exits weren’t wrapped up in the season finale. Carver, however, did hint at a possible career move by saying he’d applied for a position with the Denver Fire Department.
Interestingly, the layoffs weren’t originally written to explain cast changes, but as Newman shared, the storyline ended up aligning with real-life circumstances. “We didn’t create the layoffs arc specifically to cover character exits,” she explained, “but given how relevant it is — departments being gutted and restructured — it just made sense. It’s something the real CFD has gone through as well.”
“Everything’s Going to Get Shaken Up”
According to Newman, next season will see a lot of turnover, both from the top ranks and down to the firehouses. “There’s going to be chaos in the CFD,” she teased. “People will be reassigned, cut, and things will be turned upside down.”
So, should fans brace for more goodbyes? Possibly.
“You never know,” Newman said carefully, before adding, “There will be new faces, and there will be departures. That much I can say for sure.”
Even Battalion Chief Dom Pascal (played by Dermot Mulroney) isn’t safe from the changes. With Herrmann stepping away from the chief track, Pascal will stay on in his role — but for how long? “Until the CFD axe starts swinging above his head,” Newman teased. “Who knows if or when that’ll happen.”
