Warning! Spoilers ahead for Season 15, Episode 5 of Chicago Fire, “Three Hundred.” You can stream it now with a Peacock subscription.
Chicago Fire’s 15th season only just started, but the long-running Dick Wolf drama has already celebrated a massive milestone on the 2026 TV schedule and said goodbye to a major character. Last week, Chicago Fire celebrated 300 episodes, a feat that is rare in today’s TV landscape. Unfortunately, the monumental installment also marked the final episode for Joe Miñoso, who exited as Joe Cruz after starring in the series since the very beginning. However, while he's only just left, he already has an idea for how he can come back.
As a result of the Season 14 cliffhanger, Cruz broke his spine after a collapse in the warehouse, and he’s been doing extensive rehab. While it seemed like he wouldn’t be able to go back to the job, he eventually found out that if he keeps doing what he’s doing, he’d be back in his turnout in a matter of months. Despite the good news, Cruz realized he needed his family more, especially after Chloe gave birth to their twin girls. This led to Cruz telling Severide that he’s not coming back and will instead go to a rehab facility in Minnesota near Chloe’s parents.
It was an emotional goodbye that included a vulnerable chat with Severide and an even more emotional conversation at Otis’ memorial, with Cruz carrying Otis’ cane that’s been on display for years. However, even though he literally just left the series, Miñoso is already plotting his character's big return to 51. He told CinemaBlend just how he’d want it to happen, and I can totally see it:
With tremendous fanfare, enormous excitement, and a life-saving experience!
Since Cruz, Chloe, and their kids are only a couple of states away, it’s entirely possible this won’t be the last time we see them, or at least Cruz. And it sounds like Miñoso would love to return, so much so that he’s been thinking about how it should happen. Of course, Cruz returning to 51 would surely bring excitement to the firehouse. Not to mention the fact that it wouldn’t be Chicago Fire without a life-saving experience (as long as Cruz isn’t the life being saved). So, all around, I'm here for this.
Plus, plenty of Chicago Fire stars have returned after leaving, so all this really seems possible.
It was announced over the summer that Miñoso would be leaving Chicago Fire, which came as a shock given that he’s been on the show since the start. This raised concerns about how Cruz would be written off, since the Season 14 finale saw a handful of 51 firefighters, including Cruz, in imminent danger. Luckily, no firefighter died, and while there is always the possibility of a different outcome on Chicago Fire, I’m glad it turned out the way it did. And this leaves the door open for Cruz to return in the future, especially since Miñoso is interested.
Chicago Fire has seen a revolving door of actors over the years, and it never gets easier saying goodbye to someone, no matter how long they’ve been on the show. While it’s definitely going to be hard to watch without Miñoso, there are still plenty of episodes to look forward to as Season 15 continues. New episodes of Chicago Fire air on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day on Peacock.
