Chicago Fire rumors: Is Christopher Herrmann leaving Firehouse 51?

Chicago Fire fans have definitely noticed that Christopher Herrmann is subtly being put into situations where it seems like the character might decide that it is time to retire from firefighting.

There is also a staffing problem at Firehouse 51 that has become even more glaring with Jason Pelham keeping his job as lieutenant thanks in big part to the efforts of Stella Kidd.

Kelly Severide, Pelham, and Herrmann currently hold the three lieutenant spots, with Kidd waiting in the wings after passing all of her tests. And when Kidd got to fill in while Pelham was out, it was clear that she was really enjoying the job.

So what happens now? It’s a complicated situation that could lead to some emotional episodes in the backstretch of Chicago Fire Season 10.

Is Herrmann leaving Chicago Fire?

David Eigenberg has played Christopher Herrmann on the Chicago Fire cast for the entire run of the show. Even when the show started, Herrmann was already one of the veterans of the department, and recent seasons have really tested his staying power on the job.

Nothing has been announced by NBC or the producers about Eigenberg leaving the Chicago Fire cast, but this is also a show that has been very good at keeping things under wraps. And that includes character deaths or cast members suddenly leaving the show.

Even if Herrmann decided to retire as a firefighter, the character is so entrenched in the world of One Chicago that Eigenberg could come back as a recurring character every now and then.

Chicago Fire theories about what could happen in Season 10

Something will need to happen before the end of Chicago Fire Season 10 in regard to the lieutenant jobs at Firehouse 51. The most worrisome scenarios involve one of the characters dying. If Severide, Herrmann, Kidd, or Pelham perished in a fire, then the remaining three characters would be left in charge.

It’s also possible that someone could take over the job that Boden vacated when he became a big boss. Is that something that Pelham would do? He seems pretty young and comfortable in his career now, so probably not.

And then there is the possibility that one of the four lieutenants could go work at another station. Pelham used to be the easiest person to fit into that scenario, but he now loves working at Firehouse 51 and these people just fought for him to keep his job. Why would he want to leave?

Among all of these theories, it certainly seems possible that Herrmann might decide that he wants to spend more time with his family and he already has a job to fall back on while running Molly’s. He has always been so good on Chicago Fire, though, that it would be extremely sad to see him leave the show.

Keep in mind that there is still some possible discipline hanging over his head due to the call he made on his personal cell phone to get Sylvie Brett to immediately respond and save a kid who had been trapped in a car accident. That’s a thread that could get pulled at again to possibly force Herrmann into retirement.

This is a great time for Chicago Fire fans to go back and watch earlier episodes again, as One Chicago is currently on hiatus again. It’s going to be a while before the new episode of Chicago Fire airs, but it should be a good one.

Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.