Chicago PD Season 13: Is Detective Kim Burgess leaving the show? Speculations explored

Ever since Chicago PD Season 13 aired last week on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, fans have had one question in their minds: "Is Detective Kim Burgess leaving the show"? Probably, no. While the third episode of the thirteenth season may give the impression that Kim Burgess is leaving the series for good, that couldn't be further from the truth.

Fans had the impression that Marina Squerciati's Detective Kim Burgess is leaving the series for good because of episode 3 of Chicago PD Season 13, which aired last week, titled "Canaryville". The episode hit Officer Adam Ruzek and Detective Kim Burgess close to home as they had to investigate the death of a neighbor. Throughout the episode, the two have conversations about whether they should relocate to a safer neighborhood or not. The synopsis for the episode read:

"A homicide in the neighborhood where Burgess and Ruzek reside forces the team to investigate complicated relationships within the tight-knit community they call home."

Is Kim Burgess leaving Chicago PD Season 13?

It doesn't seem that the actress is leaving the popular NBC police procedural. A lot of people think that Chicago PD Season 13 is setting up Burgess' departure because a major plot point of episode 3 focused on Ruzek and Burgess dealing with the shock of their neighbor's death. This incident has Burgess worried about her and Ruzek's daughter, Makayla's future.

For this, Burgess even sent Makayla's application to a well-reputed school in the suburbs that's an hour away from their current residence in Canaryville. As Burgess reveals what she did to Ruzek, the latter is a bit apprehensive, as he grew up in Canaryville, in the current residence. However, Kim points out that they can't give Makayla the life she deserves in their current location. She says:

"It's not about the house. We're raising a kid that doesn't look like us. We can't give Makayla your childhood. I mean, look, we can't give her mine either. Neither exists for her, you know that, right?"

Burgess then goes on to express her fear that Makayla might end up feeling disconnected from herself:

"I'm scared that she's disconnected from herself in ways that I don't even think she realizes. Ways we might not even realize. Our roots, our house, our neighborhood, they're not going to be hers in the same way. She needs something outside of us. She needs something that's her own."

Kim goes on to say to Ruzek that maybe their daughter needs something outside their current neighborhood, Canaryville. While Adam is giving this plan a thought, it is unclear what is ultimate decision will be. But one of the most important things to note is that the third episode of Chicago PD Season 13 sets a temporary exit of another character.

Adam Ruzek actor Patrick John Flueger is taking a leave of absence:

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Deadline published the report that Patrick John Flueger is taking a leave of absence from the Chicago PD Season 13. However, before you think that this is permanent, it should be pointed out that leave of absence means that Flueger is taking just a temporary leave from the series, and he would return at some point in the future.

Deadline revealed that its sources cited "personal matter" as the reason behind the Adam Ruzek actor taking a leave of absence. In fact, this is not the first time an actor from a One Chicago series has taken a leave of absence. Back in January 2023, Lieutenant Kelly Severide actor Taylor Kinney also took a leave of absence from Chicago Fire Season 11. However, the actor returned ten months later in the twelfth season.

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As of now, we don't know which episode of Chicago PD Season 13 will be Patrick John Flueger's last. But, given the storyline of the third episode, it was certainly planting the seeds of Flueger's exit.

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