Is Chief Boden returning to Chicago Fire? NBC shares exciting update

Chief Wallace Boden’s exit from Chicago Fire in the season 12 finale left the fans disappointed. Ever since, audiences have been awaiting the return of the Battalion Chief, who got promoted to the Deputy Commissioner of the CFD.

While viewers expected him to appear in the One Chicago crossover event in January 2025, that did not happen. The prolonged wait is now finally going to end as NBC has confirmed that Chief Boden is returning to Chicago Fire.

Played by Eamonn Walker, the commissioner will be seen in season 13 episode 18, which is scheduled to be released in April 2025. However, NBC also confirmed that it will only be an episodic appearance and Chief Boden will not become a series regular.

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Chief Boden will return in Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 18

NBC has confirmed that Eamonn Walker will be reprising his role as Chief Boden in Chicago Fire Season 13 episode 18, titled Post-Mortem. The episode will be released on the network on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 9 PM ET. An official logline for the episode has also been revealed, which reads:

“Boden returns on the orders of Commissioner Grissom, who tasked him with analyzing a burned-out house that collapsed with a firefighter inside.”

Hence, Chief is going to be at the center of the narrative in the episode, finally ending a long wait. He previously appeared in the season 12 finale, which was aired in May 2022. At the time, Boden said an emotional goodbye to his team as he left his position as the Battalion Chief to become the Deputy District Chief of District 4.

Showrunner Andrea Newman expressed her excitement over Boden’s return in an official statement. Teasing how the upcoming episode will showcase the Deputy District Chief leading the team, she said:

“We’re so excited to have our beloved Chief Boden back, and the episode, titled 'Post-Mortem,' is a thrill ride unlike any we’ve done before. Told with flashbacks and unique POVs, Chief Boden leads our team on a search to discover the how, who, and why of a fierce firefight that ended in disaster.”

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Chief Boden exited Chicago Fire in Season 12

Chief Boden had been on the show since its very first season and led the team on various cases, becoming one of the fan favorites. However, ahead of the season 12 finale in May 2024, it was announced that Eamonn Walker would be leaving the show as a series regular.

The announcement surprised the fans, and it was not revealed why the actor or the creators made this decision. It was also reported that Eamonn will continue to make appearances on the future episodes of the show in a recurring capacity. At the time, executive producer Dick Wolf said in a statement to Deadline:

“Eamonn was the first actor cast on Chicago Fire, and we knew once he said yes, that we were off and running. His character Chief Wallace Boden was the undisputed leader of Firehouse 51 and, off-screen, Eamonn has filled the same role with our ensemble cast.”

When Chicago Fire season 13 premiered in September 2024, audiences were hoping for Chief Boden’s return at least in a few episodes, including the One Chicago special event. The demands are finally being fulfilled in season 13 episode 18.

Chicago Fire season 13 airs new episodes on NBC on Wednesdays.