Jesse Lee Soffer Returns to Chicago P.D. for This Week’s Episode (DETAILS)
The man who brought us Det. Jay Halstead came back to set to direct a Season 14 must-watch.
One Chicago icon Jesse Lee Soffer came back to the blood-pumping world of Chicago P.D., and this time, he called the shots behind the camera.
After spending a decade portraying Detective Jay Halstead on NBC’s hit police procedural, Soffer has continued building an impressive career both on-screen and behind the scenes. While longtime Chicago P.D. fans know him as one of the Intelligence Unit’s most dedicated investigators, the actor has expanded his creative resume in recent years, transitioning into directing and producing while continuing to pursue acting.
Soffer first sat in the director’s chair during Season 10 of Chicago P.D. Following his directorial debut, he’s become a welcome returning presence in the One Chicago universe, entertaining P.D. audiences long after Halstead’s departure from the squad. And as the series now bids farewell to LaRoyce Hawkins’ beloved Kevin Atwater, showrunner Gwen Sigan feels that Soffer couldn’t have come back at a better time.
“We really wanted to give [Atwater] something that felt super natural to his character, that felt like an organic place for him to get to,” she told NBC Insider. “We wanted to give that character a sendoff that he deserves and something his character has earned and make it positive, in a way, for him.”
Now, Soffer returned to direct the October 14 episode, giving fans another reason to tune in as the Intelligence Unit tackles its latest challenge.
Jesse Lee Soffer directs Atwater’s final episode of Chicago P.D.
Season 14, Episode 2’s “Don’t Blink” airs Wednesday, October 14 at 10/9c. It will mark Soffer’s fourth directing credit on Chicago P.D., following Season 10’s “Deadlocked,” Season 11’s “Inventory,” and Season 13’s “Open Wounds.”
As for what to expect from the star’s One Chicago return, the logline reads: “A significant turning point in Atwater’s life prompts him to make a decision about his future.”
While chatting about the episode, Sigan revealed, “[Atwater] gets a choice in this episode where, in a rarity for us, it’s like both of the answers to this choice are wonderful answers. And he gets to a place where he realizes ‘I can choose what I want.”
She continued, “For a character who is so giving and so much about other people, for him to have a moment like this, I thought was really special,” Sigan explained, sweetly adding, “Jesse directed it and killed it. So it was all kind of in the family, which was nice.”
Soffer’s lengthy history on Chicago P.D. makes his latest homecoming especially exciting for longtime viewers. For more than nine seasons, Soffer’s Jay Halstead served as one of the most trusted investigators, working with Sgt. Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) to take down countless criminals during his One Chicago tenure.
After leaving the Intelligence Unit to take on an Army assignment in Bolivia, Halstead remained an important part of the show’s legacy, later returning to the Windy City for the 2026 One Chicago crossover event. Whether he’s returning to the 21st District to help weigh in on a case or playing a powerhouse role behind the camera, Chihards always loves when Soffer’s on the case.
Catch new episodes of Season 14 of Chicago P.D. on Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock. Reporting by Stephanie Gomulka.