Chicago Fire might have ended the year by bidding farewell to several characters, but it seems fans can look forward to the return of a beloved character in the new year when season 14 resumes!
When season 14 returns in 2026, Katelynn Shennett will be returning as firefighter Kylie Estevez, marking her first appearance in Chicago Fire’s current season. Shennett broke the news via Instagram, sharing a photo from her trailer on set to announce her return to NBC’s hit series.
“The feeling when you're back on set with all your friends,” Shennett wrote in the post. The post was fittingly accompanied by Alicia Keys’ hit, “Girl on Fire,” a perfect nod to Kylie’s Chicago Fire origin as one of the original members of Stella Kidd’s Girl on Fire program.
It is currently unclear when Shennett will return and for how many episodes she’ll appear in her latest return to the series. Details surrounding her return are scarce, but it seems incredibly likely that Kylie is about to be brought back to Firehouse 51 as a floater helping out on a shift or perhaps even as a paramedic as part of the pilot program Violet and Novak helped to launch this season.
Whatever the reason, fans will be thrilled to see Kylie back in action for the first time since season 13. We last saw Kylie in the twelfth episode of season 13, when she passed through 51 to help Herrmann out with an investigation into missing fire hydrants. It was a standout episode of the season in allowing fans to see Kylie and Herrmann teaming up, as the pair hadn’t previously crossed paths in any major storyline.
While it’s unclear how many episodes Kylie will appear in upon her return, we’d love to see this particular guest arc turn into a more sizable role for Shennett. Kylie has been a standout character since her introduction in season 8, and we’d love to see her return to Firehouse 51 as a permanent member of the 51 family.
Kylie and Kidd’s mentee-mentor relationship has always been a highlight of the show, and it would be really exciting to see that relationship explored further via Kylie working full-time at the firehouse. Plus, after so many turnovers at 51. It would be really interesting to see how the pair's relationship would evolve if Kylie was working as a member of Kidd's permanent team, and to watch Kylie continue to grow.
It's also worth noting that Kylie was Chief Boden's right-hand woman for years at 51, helping him to keep the firehouse running smoothly. With all going on within the CFD, Severide and Pascal could definitely use all the help they can get and Kylie would be a great asset for them to have back at 51.
Chicago Fire season 14 returns Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 9/8c on NBC.