What’s next for Joe Cruz in Chicago Fire season 11?

We fully expect to see Joe Cruz back in Chicago Fire season 11. What is next for the Truck-turned-Squad team member of Firehouse 51?

We have seen some major development for Joe Cruz over the years of Chicago Fire. He’s an integral member of the team, always there to help his family—both personal and professional. He wants to save people, and will even deal with his personal demons to continue to do what he loves.

Throughout season 10, we saw Cruz go through trauma and PTSD. After almost dying by drowning, he had to face the stress of being closed in with his mask again. What if he ran out of air the next time? What if he couldn’t be saved? When he admitted what was going on, he was able to seek help and become a stronger firefighter because of it.

What will happen to Joe Cruz in Chicago Fire season 11?

We fully expect to see Cruz return. There are no signs that Joe Minoso is leaving the series. Of course, we’ve been surprised by writing in the past such as the exits of Casey and Otis in recent years. However, will the series really do it to us again just a year after one major exit?

There is still so much to see for Cruz. He continues to grow his Slamigan brand. His invention continues to be a lifesaver on various calls, and we’ve had the chance to see him head to conventions in the past to see more sales. We will likely see Slamigan come up again in some sort of call as he continues to prove its use.

Then there’s his personal life. Cruz and Chloe have welcomed their own child, and they also made the decision to adopt Javier. The latter came after seeing Casey leave for Portland to raise children that weren’t his own. Cruz saw how he could do more for people who needed his help. There is a chance we’ll get to see more of his personal life as he grows as a husband and a father.

One thing we love to see is how firefighters balance their personal and professional lives. This is something we need to see more of for Cruz as his family grows.

Chicago Fire season 11 premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9/8c on NBC. Catch up the following day on Peacock.