Daniel Kyri will return to “Chicago Fire” season 14 in a limited capacity following his surprise exit. With cast departures, surprise comebacks, and spoilers teasing everything from pregnancy twists to major firehouse shakeups, season 14 is shaping up to be anything but predictable. Here’s what we know so far.
Daniel Kyri Returns to Firehouse 51—Sort Of
Elizabeth Sisson/NBC“Chicago Fire” is shaking things up in season 14, and that includes a surprise return from Kyri, who plays firefighter Darren Ritter. Kyri took to Instagram on Monday, August 4, to share a behind-the-scenes selfie with costars Jocelyn Hudon and Hanako Greensmith, writing, “Back! For a limited time only.”
Kyri, 30, also posted another candid moment with several core cast members, including David Eigenberg, Christian Stolte, Miranda Rae Mayo, and newcomer Brandon Larracuente.
Though his return is welcome news for fans, it won’t be permanent. Kyri is no longer listed as a series regular for season 14. His return comes just months after news broke that Jake Lockett—who played Sam Carver since 2022—also won’t be returning full-time.
“While I don’t exactly know what the future looks like, I do know that it won’t be exactly what it was and I am going to miss the hell out of that,” Lockett wrote on Instagram in April. “It’s been an honor bringing Sam to life… thank you for the love and support over the past three years.”
Major Shakeups Are Coming to the Firehouse
According to showrunner Andrea Newman, Kyri and Lockett’s exits are just the beginning of a season filled with transition and tension.
“We’re going to have a lot of turnover,” Newman told TVLine in May. “People are being cut and moved, and everything’s going to get shaken up… There will be hellos, and there will be goodbyes. That’s for sure.”
And when asked if any cast members were safe, Newman didn’t sugarcoat it. “There’s nobody safe in this shakeup,” she said bluntly to TV Insider. “Next season is going to be about how the (expletive) really hits the fan once that mandate comes down.”
This level of disruption has become somewhat expected in the One Chicago universe, where characters frequently cycle in and out across “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago Med,” and “Chicago P.D.”
NBC’s President of Program Planning Jeff Bader addressed the constant cast changes during a July 2024 interview with TVLine, saying, “Cast comes in, cast goes out… But [those shows] just keep going on.”
He added, “We’re thrilled with how the Chicagos do on Wednesday. We have no plans on changing anything on that night.”
Season 14 Will Be ‘A Wild Ride With Pregnancies and Cutbacks
George Burns Jr/NBCBeyond cast changes, season 14 of “Chicago Fire” will tackle major plot twists—including one very personal surprise.
Stella Kidd, played by Miranda Rae Mayo, is pregnant. This revelation came after a storyline where Kidd had previously expressed a desire to adopt rather than give birth.
“I think that the journey of this season brought Kidd to a place of believing that she can handle anything,” Newman told Parade. “If it was going to be pregnancy, by the end of this season, everything she’s been through, she’d be ready.”
Additionally, fallout from season 13’s firehouse audit will spill into season 14. Viewers may recall when an auditor visited Firehouse 51 to scrutinize its budget and staffing.
“This has happened in the CFD as well as everywhere else,” Newman said. “They have started to restructure the way the trucks and squads look—how many two-man trucks, three-man trucks… there’s a lot of shakeups coming.”
She teased, “Are more injuries going to happen because of that? And how does it affect the fire department as a whole?”
“Chicago Fire” returns to NBC on Wednesday, October 1.
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Chicago Fire Brings Back Daniel Kyri—Plus More Spoilers for Season 14