After just two seasons on Chicago P.D., Brian Geraghty’s exit as Officer Sean Roman left fans surprised — especially since his character’s departure was far less dramatic than many others in the One Chicago franchise. Roman was written off at the end of Season 3 after being shot in the line of duty, leaving him with nerve damage and forcing him to step away from patrol work. Instead of taking a desk job, Roman chose to start over in San Diego, ending both his time in Chicago and his budding romance with Kim Burgess.
While the storyline made sense, the real reason behind the goodbye was simple: Geraghty wanted freedom. Unlike most cast members locked into long multi-year deals, he agreed to join the series only on a season-by-season contract — something Dick Wolf rarely allows. Executive producer Matt Olmstead recalled that the team worked hard to land Geraghty, who was honest from day one that he couldn’t commit to seven years of TV.
Midway through Season 3, Geraghty gave producers a respectful heads-up that he planned to pursue other projects. According to Olmstead, the split was refreshingly smooth: “The most level-headed, mutual fan-fest agreement I’ve ever been a part of.”
The move turned out to be the right one. Since leaving Chicago P.D., Geraghty has landed major roles in Big Sky and Taylor Sheridan’s hit series 1923, while continuing to build his producing career. Meanwhile, Sean Roman has popped back into the One Chicago universe for guest appearances — proof that both the show and the actor left on genuinely good terms.
