Chicago PD 2023: When is Halstead supposed to return?

He was only supposed to be gone for eight months. Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) announced that he would be quitting the IU and relocating to Central America, where he would regain his sense of right and wrong. Chicago PD fans and characters alike were devastated.

But hey, at least it would only be eight months right? It’s a long time, especially for his wife, Upton (Tracy Spiridakos), but it would go by relatively quick for a show that often jumps ahead weeks at a time.

Here’s what you need to know about Halstead’s alleged return date.

Is Jesse Lee Soffer coming back to Chicago PD?

There are lots of contextual clues to suggest that the character’s return is imminent. For one, he’s already been gone for a while, so PD should be closing in on that initial eight month window (or at least be close to it).

Then there’s the fact that Chicago PD is closing in on its 200th episode. It’s a momental number for any show, and as Chicago Fire proved last year, it’s a perfect time to pull out all the stops and provide viewers with some appreciative fan service. If Halstead were to pop up for a cameo at all during season 10, the 200th episode seems like an obvious choice.

Here’s the catch, though: showrunner Gwen Sigan has already confirmed that there are no plans to bring Halstead back, despite the continued involvement of Jesse Lee Soffer behind the scenes (as a director).

Watch One Chicago on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!

That puts a serious delay on what initially seemed like a hiccup in the Halstead and Upton union. It’s very likely that we will be getting some major developments regarding Halstead’s return date in the next few episodes, which will undoubtedly do damage to Upton’s mental state.

What makes all this interesting is the way the writers have lined up the seeming absence of Jay Halstead with the presence of Sean O’Neal (Jefferson White), the killer who insists that he and Upton have a connection. We don’t know where this particular story arc is going but it definitely has our attention.

For the latest Chicago PD spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago PD category at One Chicago Center.