Why Taylor Kinney Isn’t in Every Episode of the New Season
There’s been a lot of confusion and online chatter about Taylor Kinney’s status on Chicago Fire, especially from fans wondering if he’s not returning at all or simply missing from parts of the season. Here’s the real picture based on official updates and reliable reports:
1. He is still part of the show — but not in every episode
Taylor Kinney, who plays Lieutenant Kelly Severide, has signed a new contract and is confirmed to return for the upcoming season of Chicago Fire. This was confirmed alongside other lead cast members by NBC and the show’s producers.
That means he isn’t leaving the series permanently — he will still be part of the One Chicago universe.
However…
2. Fewer appearances are expected due to production changes
NBC has implemented new budget and scheduling measures for the One Chicago shows. As a result, many regular cast members — including Taylor Kinney — are expected to miss some episodes, even though they remain official series regulars.
That’s why some fans initially worried that Taylor wouldn’t be there — because his iconic character Severide simply wasn’t in certain early episodes and didn’t appear in some finales.
3. Previous leave of absence fuels confusion
Back in 2023, Taylor Kinney did take a leave of absence from the show to handle a personal matter, which led to his character being written out temporarily for several episodes.
That history — combined with how the show explained Severide’s absence (by sending him to a training program off-screen) — has made some viewers question whether he’d ever come back. But as of the latest official information, he will be back in Season 14, just not in every episode.
4. Writers are giving the character space to breathe
Because Chicago Fire has been running for over a decade, the writers have often created storylines that take major characters in and out of the central firehouse drama — especially when actors need breaks or the show wants to highlight different plot threads.
This doesn’t necessarily mean Taylor is leaving — it could be an ongoing storytelling choice combined with production planning.