Jesse Lee Soffer Returns to Chicago P.D. Season 14, But Not as an Actor

Jesse Lee Soffer is returning to Chicago P.D. for season 14, but he will not reprise his role as Jay Halstead.

Instead, Soffer is stepping behind the camera. He will direct the second episode of the new season, titled "Don't Blink," which Screen Rant reports also serves as LaRoyce Hawkins' final episode as Kevin Atwater. Hawkins is leaving the show after playing Atwater since the series began.

"Don't Blink" airs Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, immediately following Chicago Fire. The episode's logline states: "A significant turning point in Atwater's life prompts him to make a decision about his future."

This will be Soffer's fourth episode as a director. He made his directorial debut with a season 10 episode, the same season he left the show as a cast member. He also directed an episode in season 11 and another in season 13.

Soffer last appeared on screen as Halstead in the One Chicago crossover earlier this year. That appearance, promoted by NBC as a TV event, reunited him with Tracy Spiridakos' Hailey Upton. The crossover gave the character a more conclusive exit than his original departure.

Since leaving Chicago P.D., Soffer has been cast in a new CBS project called Strike Force, which he will also executive produce. The drama follows a DEA agent in Kansas City and reunites Soffer with Matt Olmstead, the original showrunner and co-creator of Chicago P.D. The series has not yet been ordered.

Soffer's return behind the camera means the focus will be on Hawkins' departure rather than on a Halstead comeback. For fans who hoped to see Halstead again, the crossover will stand as his final on-screen appearance in the One Chicago universe.

• Chicago P.D.
• Jesse Lee Soffer
• Kevin Atwater
• LaRoyce Hawkins
• NBC
• One Chicago