Michael Bradway has officially joined the growing list of stars exiting the beloved Chicago Fire series.
The 26-year-old actor appears to be following in the footsteps of Jake Lockett and Daniel Kyri, both of whom previously confirmed their departures ahead of Season 14.
The news of Bradway’s exit hit fans hard after Soaps.com reported on his upcoming absence. Many are now left wondering what prompted the actor to step away from his recurring role as Jack Damon.
According to the outlet, Bradway’s schedule has become increasingly packed due to his involvement in Every Summer After, Prime Video’s upcoming series adaptation of Carley Fortune’s New York Times bestselling novel.
With his exit from the NBC firefighter drama, the big question becomes: what’s next for Jack Damon? While producers are reportedly open to Bradway returning, any appearance will depend on whether his schedule allows it, the site noted.
That being said, the show might already have a built-in way to explain his absence. Showrunner Andrea Newman previously teased that “we’re going to have a lot of turnover” heading into Season 14.
During the Season 13 finale, an efficiency expert warned Mouch and Herrmann that layoffs and forced retirements were on the horizon — a storyline that could conveniently be used to write Damon out.
“A lot craziness going on in the CFD from the top, where people are being cut and moved, and everything’s going to get shaken up next season,” Newman told TV Line.
Bradway’s departure follows the exits of Darren Ritter (Kyri) and Sam Carver (Lockett), who also won’t be returning as series regulars. Notably, neither character was really written out in the Season 13 finale, leaving fans guessing how the show will close their chapters.
“There’s nobody safe in this shakeup,” Newman added. “Next season is going to be about how the s–t really hits the fan once that mandate comes down and how things get shaken up and how our team can hold together as a family while all this craziness is happening around them.”