Why did Jesse Lee Soffer leave Chicago P.D.?

Jesse Lee Soffer says that he left Chicago P.D. to move on from the show and for the character to "grow and expand."

Jesse Lee Soffer, who played Senior Detective Jay Halstead, left everyone surprised when he decided to quit the Chicago P.D. after being a part of it since its beginning in 2014. Soffer's character was one of the most loved and integral characters in the series and fans of the series were shocked to see how his character was given an incomplete exit. Soffer had decided to leave the series in season nine itself, however, he stuck around till season 10 and was last seen in season 10, episode 3, "A Good Man." In the last episode, Soffer's character Halstead was seen making a sudden career change and heading for Bolivia to join an Army task force.

The fans of the series and Halstead were left dumbfounded by this decision of the character and blamed the makers for not giving the character a well-deserved goodbye.

What is the real reason for Jesse Lee Soffer leaving Chicago P.D.?

As mentioned above Jesse Lee Soffer claims that he wanted to move on from the series and focus on trying on something new. When asked to share the reason for his exit, Soffer told Variety Magazine, “Eventually, you know the character so well, there’s not much that can shift or transform.”

Soffer further explained, “I wanted to grow and expand, and we’ve only got this one trip. If I signed up again, it would have been for another three years. I would have turned 40 on the show. I thought, ‘You know what? It’s time to take a risk.’ It was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my life. Let’s be honest: I love the fans of our show so much, and I love my fans. I know that they’re still grieving this, and to some degree, I am too.”

Will Jesse Lee Soffer never return to Chicago P.D.?

During the same interview with Variety, when asked if he has completed closing the door on Chicago P.D., the actor said, "Definitely not." The actor is open to returning and claims that he had adopted a "never-say-never" approach.

Soffer also sympathized with the fans who are grieving his character. He urged his fans to imagine that “Detective Halstead is in another country making the world a better and safer place to live in.” Soffer also added, “And I still love Halstead. Halstead’s always going to be in my blood. That’s never going to change."

How many seasons are there of Chicago P.D.?

There are 10 seasons and a total of 208 episodes of Chicago P.D. The series first began airing in 2014 and was a hit amongst the audience. Since then, the series has been renewed over the years for many seasons. Season 10 of Chicago P.D. premiered on September 21, 2022. On April 10, 2023, the NBC series was renewed for another season.