Is Herrmann Leaving Chicago Fire? David Eigenberg Sparks Exit Rumors Again
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As one of the few original firefighters remaining at Firehouse 51, it’s safe to say that no one wants to see Herrmann go. But after 12 seasons and hundreds of fires, could Christopher Herrmann leave Chicago Fire in Season 13? Fan theories and rumors continue to circulate.
Chicago Fire is an NBC television series that follows the professional and personal lives of the firefighters, paramedics, and rescue workers of the fictional Chicago Fire Department’s Firehouse 51. David Eigenberg plays Lieutenant Christopher Herrmann, a senior firefighter at Firehouse 51 and the husband of Cindy Herrmann, with whom he has five children: sons Lee Henry, Luke, Max, and Kenny James, and daughter Anabelle. (Kenny James was born in season 1.) Watch ‘Chicago Fire’ on Peacock for $5.99 and up Herrmann is one of the last original firefighters to join Chicago Fire since season 1, along with Lieutenants Kelly Severide, Randall “Mouch” McHolland, and Joe Cruz. Like many other firefighters at Firehouse 51, Herrmann hasn’t had an easy life at Chicago Fire. But after more than a decade on television, is Christopher Herrmann leaving Chicago Fire? Read on to find out what we know about whether Christopher Herrmann is leaving Chicago Fire and what could happen to Eigenberg’s character.
Is Christopher Herrmann leaving Chicago Fire?
Most recently, Eigenberg sparked rumors that he would leave the show in Season 13, when Herrmann was absent from Episodes 6 and 7. The actor was dealing with a serious real-life injury that forced him to temporarily miss a few episodes of Chicago Fire. In an interview with CinemaBlend in November 2024, Eigenberg explained, “I missed a few [episodes]. I tore my Achilles tendon, so I blacked out for a while. It was weird.”
He previously sparked speculation that the character would leave Chicago Fire in Season 12, Episode 1, “Barely Gone,” when he was injured in a bomb explosion set by an arsonist targeting fire stations. In the following episode — Season 12, Episode 2, “Call Me McHolland” — Herrmann begins to suffer hearing loss due to the explosion, raising concerns about his future career as a firefighter at Firehouse 51. “They better not try to say goodbye to Herrmann #ChicagoFire,” one user tweeted.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2024, Eigenberg addressed speculation that Herrmann would leave Chicago Fire after his hearing loss put his firefighting career in jeopardy. “You know, everyone takes flak on the show and in the stories, in a good way. There could be a sacrifice that happens and we get a little kick in the ass,” he said. “That’s a weakness because you never know when your hearing starts to go down, how it’s going to play out. Even though they have one-eyed firefighters in Chicago, and they have firefighters with hearing loss and hearing aids, at some point, if you can’t keep yourself and other people safe, you can’t do this job. And with Herrmann, I think it’s pretty clear that he really loves this job. He loves the people he works with, and that’s just a weakness. And it’s also competitive with your age outside of the actual CFD. At some point, you have to retire.”
He continued, “And that’s real and in almost every element. And that’s real for me on this show, because it’s so physically demanding that there’s going to be a time — I hope the show goes on for a long time — and there’s going to be a time where it’s like, ‘Yeah, I guess I have to pass the torch.’ I have a feeling Herrmann will be fine. So we’ll see.”
Ahead of season 12, fans first speculated that Herrmann — who has been played by Eigenberg since season 1 — would leave Chicago Fire in January 2023 when his wife, Cindy, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Cindy found out she had lung cancer in season 11, episode 11, “The Guy I Used to Know,” in which she developed a cough and fever. During the episode, Herrmann visited Cindy and learned that her illness had only gotten worse. The episode ended with Cindy meeting with a doctor, who told her she had lung cancer, even though she had never smoked a day in her life. “And I’m a firefighter. I’m exposed to smoke and chemicals all day long. I’m the one who should have lung cancer. Not her,” Herrmann said in the episode.
