Jesse Lee Soffer has returned to Chicago P.D. — but not as Detective Jay Halstead. The actor, who played Halstead for nearly ten seasons before his shock exit in 2022, came back to the show he loves as a director, helming the Season 13 episode "Open Wounds" in October 2025. And in March 2026, he reprised the Halstead role itself for the first time, appearing in the One Chicago crossover event alongside Tracy Spiridakos. Here is everything you need to know about why he left, and how he returned.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Jesse Lee Soffer departed Chicago P.D. as Jay Halstead in Season 10, Episode 3, which aired on 5 October 2022
- He told Variety he left because he was "ready for more" — not more money, but more professional challenge
- Soffer returned behind the camera, directing three episodes of the show across Seasons 10, 11, and 13
- In March 2026, he reprised Jay Halstead on screen for the first time in the One Chicago three-part crossover event
- He is now developing a new CBS drama called *Strike Force alongside Chicago P.D. co-creator Matt Olmstead*
Profile summary
Full name | Jesse Lee Soffer |
Date of birth | 23 April 1984 |
Place of birth | Ossining, New York, USA |
Nationality | American |
Education | The Gunnery; New York University |
Occupation | Actor, television director |
Known for | Jay Halstead on Chicago P.D. |
Years active | 1990–present |
@jesseleesoffer — 1 million followers | |
Net worth | Approximately $5 million |
Jesse Lee Soffer is an American actor and director. Born on 23 April 1984, he began his film career in 1993 at age eight in the movie Matinee. He is known for portraying Will Munson on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, earning three Daytime Emmy nominations for his work on the show.
From 2014 to 2022, he starred as Jay Halstead on the NBC drama Chicago P.D., also guest-starring in crossover episodes with Chicago Med and Chicago Fire. That long-running role made him one of the most recognisable faces in the One Chicago universe.
Jay Halstead's role in Chicago P.D.
Jay Halstead was one of Chicago P.D.'s most central characters. During the ten seasons Soffer was on the show, Halstead was instrumental as Voight's principal right-hand man, until the character departed to take out a cartel grow operation in South America in 2022.
Soffer's character, Jay Halstead, left the Intelligence Unit in Season 10, Episode 3, "A Good Man", marking the end of his nine-year One Chicago run. Passionate viewers wondered what would happen to his on-screen wife Hailey Upton, played by Tracy Spiridakos, and fellow Intelligence members Kevin Atwater and Adam Ruzek with his sudden exit.
Why did Jesse Lee Soffer leave Chicago P.D.?
Soffer opened up for the first time about his decision to quit his role as Detective Jay Halstead after nine seasons. In an interview with Variety, he revealed that although there was "no good answer," he was simply "ready for more."
"Eventually, you know the character so well, there's not much that can shift or transform. I really wanted to grow and expand, and we've only got this one trip. If I signed up again, it would have been for another three years. I would have turned 40 on the show. I thought, 'You know what? It's time to take a risk.'"
Soffer also admitted: "It was one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make in my life." He was equally clear about what he missed most. "You have to be a family when it's 0 degrees in the middle of February and you're working at 2 a.m.," he said of his co-stars. "It's such a family. Dysfunctional sometimes, as all families are."
The directing ambition that changed everything
Leaving Chicago P.D. was not just about stepping away — it was about stepping behind the camera. When he agreed to return for the start of Season 10 to properly exit, he surprised producers by also asking to direct. He had realised, about five years into Chicago P.D., that directing could be something he'd excel at. He told Variety:
"I hadn't really brought it up to anyone, but it was something I was willing to fight for,"
How Jesse Lee Soffer returned to Chicago P.D.
Soffer's return has happened in two distinct ways: first as a director, then — much to fans' delight — as Jay Halstead himself.
Behind the camera: three directing credits
This Season 13 episode marks Soffer's third time directing for the show. He previously directed "Deadlocked" (Season 10, Episode 16) and "Inventory" (Season 11, Episode 12).
Fans were able to catch Soffer's third time in the director's chair when "Open Wounds" aired on 8 October 2025 on NBC. He shared behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram to mark the occasion, saying:
"I was honored to get to spend some time directing with my PD fam. More pics to come later — don't wanna give away too much of the episode! Very grateful."
Soffer recalled feeling like "an observer" when he first stepped back on set, though that quickly changed to feeling like he "never left." "It was easier than I thought it was gonna be, because we're storytellers in this industry, and I love telling stories," he said.
Back as Halstead: the 2026 One Chicago crossover
The moment fans had waited years for finally arrived in early 2026. Chicago P.D.'s Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos reprised their roles as Jay Halstead and Hailey Upton for the One Chicago crossover; Soffer had exited in 2022, while Spiridakos left in 2024.
The crossover marked Soffer's first time back as Halstead on screen. The last time we saw the character, he had taken a job with the army in Bolivia tracking drug cartel targets — and now he has been deep undercover, which leads him on a path to the same case that Upton is investigating.
The three-part crossover aired on 4 March 2026. Chicago P.D. executive producer Gwen Sigan said:
"It was especially gratifying having them return, to see how the dynamics between them have changed and also getting to see their point of view of our unit."
Jesse Lee Soffer's latest news
Strike Force: a new CBS drama
CBS has opened a writers' room for a new series titled Strike Force (working title), with Matt Olmstead writing and executive producing, Jesse Lee Soffer starring and executive producing, and Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed also executive producing via Jerry Bruckheimer TV. CBS Studios will produce.
Per the official logline, Soffer will play a "battle-tested DEA agent" who returns home to "Kansas City to lead a multi-agency strike force targeting the violent criminals now trying to exploit America's heartland." Soffer is set to executive produce and star in Strike Force should it go to series for the 2027–28 season.
Soffer received overwhelming support from his One Chicago family — including Jon Seda and Annie Ilonzeh — as well as his former FBI: International co-star Christina Wolfe, after announcing the project on Instagram.
FBI: International cancellation
Before the Strike Force announcement, Soffer had remained an integral part of Chicago P.D. for ten years until he decided to say goodbye in 2023, before starting to play the lead role in another procedural, FBI: International — but that show was abruptly cancelled.
Jesse Lee Soffer's net worth
Source: Getty Images
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jesse Lee Soffer has a net worth of $5 million. His career earnings primarily stem from his extensive television work, notably his long-running role on Chicago P.D., with reports suggesting he earned around $160,000 per episode during his tenure on the show.
His main sources of income include:
- Acting fees across Chicago P.D., FBI: International, and earlier work on As the World Turns
- Television directing fees for three Chicago P.D. episodes
- Executive producing credits on upcoming project Strike Force
- Film roles including The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Seque
FAQs
- Why did Jesse Lee Soffer leave Chicago P.D.? Soffer left after Season 10 because he was "ready for more" — specifically, new professional challenges. He told Variety he didn't want to spend another three years playing the same character and felt it was "time to take a risk."
- Is Jesse Lee Soffer back on Chicago P.D. as Jay Halstead? Yes — after returning first as a director, Soffer reprised the role of Jay Halstead for the first time on screen in the One Chicago three-part crossover event that aired on 4 March 2026.
- How many episodes of Chicago P.D. has Jesse Lee Soffer directed? He has directed three episodes: "Deadlocked" (Season 10), "Inventory" (Season 11), and "Open Wounds" (Season 13, aired October 2025).
- What is Jesse Lee Soffer doing now? He is developing a new CBS drama called Strike Force, in which he will star as a DEA agent and serve as executive producer, alongside Chicago P.D. co-creator Matt Olmstead and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
- What is Jesse Lee Soffer's net worth? His net worth is estimated at approximately $5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, built primarily through his acting and directing career.
- Who is Jesse Lee Soffer dating? He is in a relationship with Tracy Spiridakos, his former Chicago P.D. co-star, who played Hailey Upton on the show.
- What was Jesse Lee Soffer's first major role? Before Chicago P.D., he was best known for playing Will Munson on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns from 2004 to 2010, earning three Daytime Emmy nominations.
- Will Jay Halstead return to Chicago P.D. permanently? Soffer has said "never say never" about reprising the role, adding that "the door is definitely not closed." For now, his on-screen return has come via the 2026 One Chicago crossover event.
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