Chicago Fire Season 15 Premiere Marks Final Exit of Dermot Mulroney and Paralyzes Joe Cruz

Key points

• Dermot Mulroney’s last scene as Dom Pascal occurred in the Season 15 premiere, where he gave Severide advice on balancing his dual roles.
• Showrunner Victor Teran confirmed Mulroney would not return, stating the character’s story concluded to make room for Severide’s new leadership role.
• Joe Cruz (Joe Miñoso) fractured his spine saving civilians, with MRI results indicating he will likely never fight fires again.
• Severide (Taylor Kinney) chose to remain Chief of Firehouse 51 over an inspector position, though he retains his inspector status privately.
• Mulroney is set to star in the third season of Netflix’s The Hunting Wives and has booked roles in the films Moon People and Streets.

Background

Our archive notes that the One Chicago franchise returned to NBC in October 2026 with significant cast changes, including the departures of Joe Miñoso and LaRoyce Hawkins. Mulroney joined Chicago Fire in Season 13 after Eamonn Walker’s departure as Wallace Boden, serving as a bridge for the show’s leadership transition.

How outlets are covering it

Deadline and TVLine both confirm Mulroney’s exit was planned to facilitate Severide’s promotion, with Teran describing Pascal’s role as a 'bridge' to the future. TV Insider and TVLine emphasize the emotional weight of Cruz’s injury, noting Teran considered killing the character but chose a disability arc to honor the reality of the job. While all outlets agree on the outcome, TVLine highlights the unresolved romantic tension between Novak and Vasquez, a detail not emphasized in Deadline’s report.

Why it matters

The departure of Mulroney and the injury of Miñoso mark a significant shift in Chicago Fire’s leadership and tone, moving away from traditional command structures toward a more complex, conflict-driven narrative. This transition reflects the show’s long-term strategy of evolving its core cast while maintaining the procedural’s focus on real-world dangers and emotional consequences.

What to watch

Viewers can expect Joe Miñoso’s character to spend the first five episodes grappling with his disability and impending fatherhood. Severide’s season-long arc will focus on his struggle to adapt to leadership, while the show prepares for its 300th episode, which will center on Cruz’s story. Mulroney’s next project is the third season of The Hunting Wives, which was recently renewed.