Chicago Fire's Joe Minoso Addresses Cruz's Season 15 Exit After 300 Episodes

Chicago Fire Star Officially Addresses Series Exit After 300 Episodes George Burns Jr/NBC Published Nov 5, 2026, 10:50 PM EST Matthew Thomas is a celebrity entertainment and trending news journalist. Passionate about the media. He developed a love for storytelling that he loves to share with others through his writing. Matthew has been able to cover a variety of subjects he is very passionate about, including movies, TV shows, comics, and wrestling. Experience:Matthew brings more than a decade of experience writing about pop culture, movies, TV shows, wrestling, comic books, true crime, weather conditions, safety tips, taxes, wildlife, archaeology, music, and trending news. He is also an experienced interviewer with a strong track record of speaking with high-profile talent and subject-matter experts. 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To round out his extensive portfolio, he has interviewed subject-matter experts on taxes, public safety, and winter weather conditions. A beloved Chicago Fire star has addressed his exit from the show after being featured in 300 episodes of the series. Since premiering on October 10, 2012, the drama series has reached its 15th season, which is an impressive feat. That also allowed the series to produce a landmark episode. And it was a massive draw as reviews of Chicago Fire episode 300 spread online as soon as it aired. Of course, much of that discussion centered on one thing: the fact that longtime series star Joe Miñoso left the show. As viewers have been discussing Cruz's exit, Miñoso joined the discussion during a recent TVLine interview. While talking to the outlet, the popular actor was asked to explain what led to him leaving the show after so many years. In response, he noted that even though he didn't ask to be written off the show, he agreed with the creative decision. Check out Miñoso's comments below: I will say, at the same time, there was something in me that felt it was time to move on. We had done so much with the character. I remember thinking about it a lot midseason [during Season 14], just because we had explored so much. And when we got the twins storyline, I was like, "This feels like the right time." So the news came my way, but I understood it, and they were so gracious. After Cruz spent years as one of the most likable Chicago Fire characters, it is hard to see him go. However, that doesn't mean that the actor's association with the NBC drama is over. Instead, Miñoso told TVLine that he'd been asked to come back to direct episodes of the series. Literally on the heels of that, I got asked if I was interested in still directing [episodes of the show], so it was real whiplash. And since then, it's been a journey into the world of this show in a really different way. I've had the great pleasure of shadowing a bunch of really amazing directors, and seeing what they do in that front office, which we don't get to see enough as performers. Those people are working their butts off so much every day, and it gave me more joy toward the process. Anytime a longtime character leaves a show, observers typically focus on how they are written off. In Cruz's case, he was given a multi-episode arc focused on putting his family first after an injury and the birth of his twins. When asked about the storyline, Miñoso told the outlet how thankful he was for how his character's decision to leave the firehouse was handled. I thought it was wonderful. We really haven't had the opportunity so much to see the dark soul moment for a character on this show, and seeing whether or not he can bring himself out of it. What's beautiful about it is of course it's all tied into the firehouse family and the hope that they bring him. I considered it an honor and a joy, and I thank them for trusting me with the material. That was some really intense stuff that they gave me to do, and I love them for it. As anyone who has watched the ups and downs that Chicago Fire's characters have gone through can attest, the series has included some devastating moments. As it turns out, Cruz could have become the focus of another heartbreaking turn, as Miñoso told TVLine that his character's death was considered by the series' showrunner. Ultimately, however, the show's bosses thought that would be too sad. While not going down that route saved viewers some despair, Miñoso told the outlet that leaving the show left him in tears for days. "I was crying for a week straight. And I thought I got a lot of that out of my system during the hiatus, but no, it was highly emotional." For people who have watched Chicago Fire since the start, it will be strange to experience the show without Cruz. Still, as the One Chicago franchise has proven time and time again, one character disappearing is always a massive opportunity for other figures to step up. It will be fascinating to see what will happen now that a major hole has been left behind. Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock. Release Date October 10, 2012 Network NBC Showrunner Andrea Newman Cast Taylor Kinney Kelly Severide David Eigenberg Christopher Herrmann Directors Michael Brandt Writers Michael Brandt Creator(s) Michael Brandt, Derek Haas