Jesse Spencer Is Returning to Chicago Fire as Casey

Exciting news, Chicago Fire fans: Jesse Spencer is returning to Season 11 as Matt Casey! 

Yes, that's right: The One Chicago fan favorite is set to return for Season 11, Episode 18, though details of his storyline are being kept under wraps. 

If you forgot what happened, Casey left Chicago Fire in the middle of Season 10. He moved to Oregon and tried to be long distance with Brett (Kara Killmer). However, when he returned for the Season 10 finale, it was clear the couple was at a crossroads. The physical distance was proving to be more difficult than they anticipated, and by the Season 11 premiere, they split up. 

The first half of Season 11 has seen Brett attempt to work through her breakup with Casey—and it seems she's emerged on the other side. She's now open to the idea of something more with Dylan (Christopher Allen), which is a huge step for her. 

"Whatever happens, wherever this goes, I'm game," Brett tells Dylan at the end of Season 11, Episode 15, to which he says, "OK then. Me too." 

So, what will Casey's storyline this time entail? More developments with Brett? Or something else entirely? Whatever the case, we're excited to find out. 

“I realized I’ve been doing TV for a long time. I added it up, and I think this year is my 18th year of network television,” Spencer told reporters about his Chicago Fire exit, according to TV Line. “I called [showrunner] Derek [Haas] and broke him the news, said I thought it was time to leave the show, and he agreed that we should at least get Casey to 200 episodes. It was a difficult decision because I’ve loved the show from the start, but there are other things that I would like to do in the future, and there’s some family that I need to take care of, and 18 years is a long time.”

“I was, of course, wanting to talk Jesse into staying and coming back,” Haas added. “But I was very happy that he gave us five more episodes than just saying at the end of a season, which happens sometimes, too, like, ‘I’m out.’ That let us bring back a storyline from Season 1, which I know Jesse was excited about when we pitched it to him, to bring back the Darden boys and really tie in the pilot to Jesse’s leaving.”

Watch Chicago Fire on NBC Wednesdays at 9/8c and the next day on Peacock.

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