A fan favourite returns to Chicago P.D. Season 13 after 3-year absence

Chicago P.D. is heading into Season 13, and there is a familiar name back on set. Jesse Lee Soffer, remembered by many for playing Detective Jay Halstead through ten full seasons, is returning once again. Not as part of the main cast, but in a role that keeps him close to the series. Collider confirmed that he will direct the fourth episode of the new season, a detail later celebrated by longtime producer Brian Luce on social media.

The news resonated quickly. Soffer’s connection to the series is not small, and his absence has been noticeable since 2022. Having him back, even from the director’s chair, highlights how the show continues to bring past contributors into new spaces. It is one of the reasons the franchise has lasted this long: continuity mixed with change.

There is also something symbolic about it. A character may step away, but the actor still shapes the show in a different form. Season 13 will carry that imprint, and fans already know exactly which episode to look forward to when fall arrives.

Looking back at his exit

Soffer left Chicago P.D. in Season 10. That final appearance went out in October 2022. Jay Halstead had been around since the very beginning, part of the team from the first step. Always there, always part of the base. When he walked away, it wasn’t small. It felt heavy. Like the end of a thread that had been running for years. One of the longest. And the show had to move after that, had to bend a little, and find another shape.

Not long after, Soffer joined another procedural. He stepped into FBI: International as Supervisory Special Agent Wesley "Wes" Mitchell, the new leader of the Fly Team. The role kept him in familiar territory, though on a different network. That series has since been canceled, closing a chapter and, at the same time, leaving room for new steps in Chicago.

Building directing experience in Chicago P.D.

Season 13 is not the first time Soffer takes the director’s chair. His debut came with Deadlocked in Season 10, followed by Inventory, the penultimate episode of Season 11. Now, the fourth episode of the upcoming season will be his third credit behind the camera.

The news was made public by Brian Luce. He posted a short video showing Soffer’s arrival on set, adding a personal note of excitement about working together again. Collider reported that the actor will be present during filming for at least eight days, giving him significant involvement in shaping the episode.

New character, new energy

This season also introduces fresh energy to the Intelligence Unit. Arienne Mandi, recently seen in The Night Agent, joins the cast as Naomi Kerr. Collider described her as a character with a military background, which will become part of her storyline once the season begins.

The franchise has often relied on this pattern: established figures leaving, new characters arriving, the ensemble shifting slightly, but the structure remaining. It is one of the reasons Chicago P.D. continues to adapt, balancing long-term continuity with constant adjustments.

Another Halstead in One Chicago

Jesse Lee Soffer is not the only familiar name linked to the Halstead family this year. Nick Gehlfuss, who played Dr. Will Halstead in Chicago Med, is confirmed to return in Season 11 of the medical drama.

Will had been part of the original cast and was last seen in the Season 8 finale. Collider noted his comeback but did not provide details on how long he will remain or what storylines he will carry. Even so, his reappearance keeps the Halstead name visible within the One Chicago block, adding a parallel thread while Jesse Lee Soffer directs on the police side.

Dates on the calendar

NBC scheduled all three One Chicago dramas, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D., to return on October 1, 2025. The coordinated premieres have become a tradition for the franchise, making crossovers easier and ensuring viewers can follow interconnected plots without gaps.

For Season 13 of Chicago P.D., attention will naturally focus on the fourth episode, now known as Soffer’s next project as director. It will stand as one of the season’s early highlights.

Keeping the connection alive

Jesse Lee Soffer is back, but this time behind the camera. It says a lot about how his link with Chicago P.D. never really faded. The show shaped a decade of his career. Walking away as an actor didn’t mean cutting ties. Not at all.

Now Season 13 is on the way. Familiar names stay around, fresh ones join in, and the same frame of One Chicago holds it together. That mix of old and new is what keeps the engine running. Fans know it. And with Soffer directing again, his name is still there, written into the series. Maybe in a quieter way, but still part of the story.