*Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Chicago Fire Season 14 Episode 7. Readers' discretion is advised.*Each new season of the NBC procedural brings new anxiety for fans about their favorite characters' fates. This time, fans are wondering if Mouch (Christian Stolte) is leaving Chicago Fire. Stolte's senior firefighter has been a series regular on the long-running show since its freshman season on NBC. In Season 13, he was promoted to the position of lieutenant after his best friend Herrmann stepped down from his position.Things were going smoothly for Mouch in Chicago Fire but the fall finale for Season 14 has fans worried about his future. After Annette's decision to permanently decommission Engine 51, how will Mouch fit into the bigger picture? However, the network has not revealed that Christian Stolte is leaving the show. Mouch has not exited Chicago Fire in Season 14.What does the fall finale mean for Mouch's future in Firehouse 51?Read on to know the full story.Is Mouch leaving Chicago Fire? What does the Fall finale mean for Christian Stolte's future in the show? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostAfter Stolte was absent during an important sequence in Season 13, things are currently going difficult for him and Engine 51 in Season 14. Mouch and his team started the latest season by taking heat from the ongoing budget cuts implied at the CFD. In the premiere, Mouch and his team were suddenly pulled off a shift at the last moment, which even upset Chief Pascal. The recently released Fall finale of Chicago Fire Season 14 even proved that fans' worries were not baseless. In an unofficial dinner at his house, Chief Pascal learned from Annette that Mouch's Engine 51 is being permanently decommissioned to reallocate funds for the city's teachers, following their frequent strikes.This puts Mouch and the whole of Engine 51 in danger, as it is a crucial part of Chicago Fire. However, fans still have hope for Christian Stolte's future in the procedural, as the Fall finale also teased a brilliant scheme that could save Mouch's Engine 51. The recently promoted lieutenant came up with a brilliant plan in the Fall finale, the universal compartment protocol. Mouch suggested rig rotations and shuffling duties from house to house, which could tackle the ongoing budget cut issues. While Chief Pascal was too occupied to pay heed to Mouch's proposal in the Fall finale of Season 14, this might just be the only hope for him and Mouch in the upcoming episodes.Mouch has not left Chicago Fire View this post on Instagram Instagram PostExcept for this nail-biting cliffhanger in the fall finale, which endangers Mouch's future (for now), there have been no rumors or news about Christian Stolte leaving the firefighter procedural. NBC has decreased per-season appearances for all series regulars across the One Chicago franchise, which naturally led to Mouch's absence in many recent episodes. However, this does not mean that Christian Stolte is leaving Chicago Fire.Contrary to this, the firefighter procedural has given a new lease to the character after Herrmann sacrificed and made way for Mouch to become a lieutenant.In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Stolte discussed the new direction for his character in Season 14. He said:''The story for Mouch was: I am this guy who sits on the couch and I'll retire in a few years. But the story changed and evolve. It was, ‘Oh, get married and have kids, and your life will be the fairytale and go this way.' Well, no! That story is out the window fairly quickly.''He added:"I love seeing that. I love seeing a guy that's not just put himself out to pasture. It's like, I'm not dead yet. What can you do? What can I do that would be better and more helpful and serve people better than what I'm doing right now?"Stolte's comments clearly suggest that Mouch has just started his second innings in the show and he is here for the long run. As for Mouch and Engine 51's future, tune in to the Chicago Fire Season 14 Winter premiere on NBC on January 7, 2026.For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.