While there was a brief moment of hope that we might see Ruzek back in time for the 2026 One Chicago Crossover event, it sadly appears Patrick John Flueger will not return for the annual three-show crossover event.
As Chicago PD fans know, Flueger has missed several episodes of Chicago PD’s current thirteenth season as the result of a sudden leave of absence from the show. Back in October, it was announced just weeks into the season that Flueger was taking a leave of absence to deal with unspecified personal matters which would result in him missing several episodes of the show.Â
Little information followed the initial announcement and we’ve been without Ruzek for several episodes now, but it was only recently that the show finally acknowledged Ruzek’s absence. In the winter premiere, Ruzek’s absence was finally addressed as Burgess revealed there had been an emergency with Ruzek’s ailing dad, and he was taking time off to be there for his dad.
The update on Ruzek came just weeks after it was announced that Flueger had returned to set to begin filming again, giving fans hope that his return was inching closer. Sadly, there has been no indication of when Ruzek will return but we officially know his return isn’t coming in the One Chicago crossover.Â
NBC has released dozens of new images from the crossover event, but not a single photo features Flueger’s character. In fact, there is one particular photo that is sure to make Chicago PD fans emotional.Â
The new photo (pictured below) features every active member of the season 13 cast along with returning stars Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos. It’s a photo that is bittersweet as it’s the first time we’ve seen the full ensemble together since Soffer and Spiridakos’ respective exits which give us so much joy to see. However, it’s truly heartbreaking to know that Flueger will miss the Chicago PD reunion and does not appear to be a part of the crossover.Â
We’re certainly going to miss seeing Ruzek working alongside his former colleagues when Halstead and Upton return. It would have been amazing to see Flueger sharing new scenes with Soffer and Spiridakos, but alas the timing must not have aligned. And honestly, perhaps that is for the best.
While it would have been amazing to see him back in time for the crossover, we'd much rather see Ruzek's return come in an episode where it could be better addressed. With how much will be going on in the crossover, there won't be much time to acknowledge his return or provide an update on Ruzek's dad. Had his return come in the crossover, we likely would have seen it overlooked by the chaos unfolding around them and we'd rather see the show ease him back into the show in a way that gives Ruzek the chance to have more screen-time.
The good news is that Ruzek should be back soon given Flueger returned to set in mid-December. There’s even a chance he could be back after the crossover, which would certainly be reason to celebrate!