Chicago Fire Shakeup: Major Cast Departures and Showrunner Changes Mark Season 15

NBC's long-running drama Chicago Fire is undergoing a massive creative and on-screen overhaul for its 15th season, featuring multiple high-profile exits, fresh faces, and a change at the top of the production team.

Premiering originally in 2012, the hit procedural is saying goodbye to several key figures while introducing new personnel to Firehouse 51.

Who is leaving Chicago Fire in season 15?

Joe Miñoso, a foundational cast member who has played firefighter Joe Cruz since the show premiered, is exiting the series during season 15. The character survived a massive storage-facility fire in the season 14 finale, but was left hospitalized and paralyzed from the waist down due to a severe spinal fracture, according to reports from The Direct. Miñoso shared an announcement article on Instagram on July 29, and fellow actor Brandon Larracuente confirmed in an interview with the TV Cave that the writers crafted a wonderful sendoff for the actor. Miñoso will appear in a few upcoming episodes to resolve his arc.

Dermot Mulroney, who joined the cast as Battalion Chief Dominic 'Dom' Pascal in season 13, is also wrapping up his storyline early in season 15. Mulroney confirmed his departure at the Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention in August, stating, 'Now this season, sadly, I have one episode I finish on Tuesday and they write the character off. So, we gave it our all for two seasons. They wrote an incredible story line that put me as an actor on high challenge. So, I loved every minute of it.' Mulroney's character had previously taken a hiatus in the latter half of season 14 following the March 4 One Chicago crossover event, before returning for the season 14 finale.

Following Miñoso's exit, the remaining original cast members from the 2012 premiere are Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide, David Eigenberg as Christopher Herrmann, and Christian Stolte as Mouch McHolland.

Who are the new cast and crew members?

Season 15 debuted in October 2026 with new arrivals filling out the ranks at Firehouse 51. Da'Vinchi joined the cast as firefighter candidate Marcus Blake (spelled Burke in some reports by Us Magazine), a rebellious and roguish character. Additionally, Matthew Daddario joined as a recurring guest star playing firefighter candidate McCaffrey, who is assigned to Truck 81.

Behind the scenes, Andrea Newman exited her role as showrunner after more than a decade and 14 seasons. Co-executive producer Victor Teran is stepping in to take over the showrunner position. Newman reflected on her tenure by stating, 'Working at Chicago Fire, with the absolute best cast and crew in the business, has been the highlight of my career...' Executive producer Peter Jankowski released a statement noting, 'We’re sad to say goodbye to Andrea...'