In the long history of Chicago P.D., few characters have been as complex and divisive as Sergeant Hank Voight. Known for his brutal tactics, unwavering loyalty, and constant moral gray areas, Voight has delivered some of the most intense moments in the franchise. But fans may not realize that one particular scene — one that almost made it to air — was deemed so emotionally disturbing that NBC chose to cut it entirely.
The scene was originally written for Season 9, during the episode titled “The One Next to You.” In it, Voight was supposed to interrogate a suspect tied to a disturbing child trafficking case. While the final version of the episode that aired was already emotionally harrowing, the original script pushed things even further. Voight, in a moment of uncontrollable rage and heartbreak, was scripted to physically assault the suspect to the point of unconsciousness.
What followed was not just a moment of violence, but a rare and chilling breakdown from Voight himself. According to leaked details from a crew member, the aftermath of the beating showed Voight shaking, sweating, and nearly in tears — completely unrecognizable from the hardened sergeant fans have come to expect. It was a moment that stripped away the shield and showed a man unraveling under the weight of years of crossing lines.
Jason Beghe, the actor who portrays Voight, later hinted at this during a podcast interview. “We filmed something that really peeled back the layers,” he said. “It was raw. Maybe too raw. I felt it days after filming.”
But before the episode could air, NBC executives reportedly held emergency discussions about the impact such a scene could have. The concern wasn’t just about FCC guidelines or potential backlash — it was about maintaining the character’s integrity. The network feared that if viewers saw Voight pushed this far, there would be no path back for him. He would be irredeemable.
Ultimately, the decision was made to cut the scene and re-edit the episode. What viewers saw was still intense — Voight still interrogated the suspect, still broke some rules — but it lacked the full emotional breakdown originally filmed.
The fallout among fans has been mixed. Some believe NBC made the right call. “There’s a line,” one viewer wrote on Reddit. “Even Voight shouldn’t cross into full-on mental collapse on camera.” Others argue the scene would’ve been a powerful look into Voight’s internal damage. “We’ve seen him be violent,” a fan on Twitter wrote. “What we haven’t seen is the toll that violence takes on him.”
Rumors persist that the original scene still exists, stored in NBC’s archives. Whether it will ever see the light of day — perhaps in a future anniversary special or DVD release — remains uncertain.
What’s clear is that this lost moment could have changed how we view Voight forever. It could have humanized him in a way the show has never dared before. And in doing so, it might have revealed the darkest truth of all: even the toughest man on Chicago P.D. has a breaking point.
