Chicago PD casts doubt on Ruzek's future in season 11 premiere

Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) was one of the most important characters of Chicago PD season 10. He drove a handful of the season's biggest storylines, so it was genuinely shocking when got shot in the stomach during the home stretch of the finale.

Ruzek was in bad shape during the closing moments of the season, and generally speaking, One Chicago likes to highlight a given character if they know that the character will eventually be written out of the show. Basically, there was good reason to fear whether or not Ruzek would live to see another episode.

SPOILERS for Chicago PD season 11 episode ahead

We're thrilled to confirm that Ruzek is alive, if not entirely well. His near-death experience was recapped during the episode's opening montage, but it was Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), and not Ruzek, who was recalling it.

There was a brief moment where it seemed as though Ruzek was out of commission for good, especially when Trudy Platt (Amy Morton) shows up and tells Voight that he has to select a new member of the IU to replace Ruzek. Thankfully, the camera cuts to Ruzek in the middle of a jog.

Ruzek is healthy enough to take physical action, which makes sense, given that the show picks up six months after the events of the season 10 finale, but the road to recovery has not been an easy one. It seems that the veteran officer has struggled to get his edge back in the field and has failed his power test multiple times since being cleared for duty.

Ruzek is alive but not yet cleared for duty

"It's my ego that's hurting," he tells Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins). While it's difficult to fault Ruzek for his rehabilitation struggles, the time away has caused some problems for the IU. There's pressure on Voight to find a replacement, as we learn from Trudy.

Apparently, the IU is not supposed to go for six months without a vacancy, which is exactly what it's done on the heels of Ruzek's shooting and Dante Torres (Benjamin Levy Aguilar) being sent away. "The chief needs to know that your team is moving on," Trudy insists.

Related: Chicago PD boss shares exciting Upton update

Interestingly enough, the episode ends without a clear resolution. Ruzek remains on the mend, and Voight fails to appoint a new member of the IU. Instead, the commanding officer pays a visit to Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) and shares a genuine moment of uncertainty with her.

Ruzek's involvement in the rest of the season seems like a foregone conclusion, but it does seem like a big part of his arc is going to revolve around his physical recovery, and the struggles he encounters while trying to rejoin the team.