The last episode of Chicago PD Season 13 had Kim Burgess disappear from the unit without any explanation (logical or illogical). While this isn’t a surprise to fans who have been following the show closely from the beginning, it does become a bit shocking when we pair it with Ruzek’s disappearance.
Even though fans knew that Patrick John Flueger was going to take a leave of absence, the show did not address Ruzek’s absence until season 13, episode 9, “Heroes.” When Voight calls Burgess to have them join the rest of the team, Kim lets him know that Adam won’t be able to join them, "OK, Adam had an emergency with Bob, so he's at the facility."
For years, Chicago PD has followed a specific formula in which each episode focuses on one character, pushing their development while having the rest of the team as backup. While this has gotten us used to some characters jumping in and out of scenes with little dialogue, Ruzek’s absence without an explanation was definitely noticeable. From that moment on, every character’s absence would become noticeable as fans would begin to look for reasonable explanations.
When the time came for the show to focus on Imani’s storyline, only Voight, Atwater, and Torres worked the case with her. Kim Burgess’s absence became very noticeable from the first minute. Burgess is always one to take the lead, helping to resolve every case. While we did put all of our attention on Imani, we still wondered where she was.
The thing, however, is that Burgess’s disappearance comes with no explanation. No one mentions her. No one explains why she hasn’t come to the squad. Just like with Ruzek in the beginning, Burgess falls through the cracks without saying a word.
However, because Ruzek’s absence has been justified by the fact that there have been things going on with Bob at the facility, viewers can create their own theories surrounding this. Did Kim take time off to help Adam? Will Adam’s return be marked by the sad loss of his father? Or is it all just a coincidence?
Luckily, Burgess will absolutely be back for the One Chicago crossover coming up on March 4, 2026. Considering the shows are mashing up, viewers will probably not have an answer as to why Burgess was missing. Chances are that this won’t be the episode in which Ruzek returns, considering a lot of the energy will be on Halstead and Upton returning.