Jesse Lee Soffer‘s departure from Chicago P.D. after 10 seasons marked the end of an era and left a Halstead-sized hole in the series that fans still feel today. As Detective Jay Halstead, Soffer was an invaluable member of Intelligence as well as one of the most beloved characters in the One Chicago universe. Calls for his return began almost immediately and have grown louder over time. After stepping away from the Windy City, Soffer moved into another corner of the procedural world, joining FBI: International as the new Fly Team leader, Supervisory Special Agent Wesley “Wes” Mitchell. But with the show’s recent cancellation, the door is once again open for a Chicago comeback. While he won’t be reprising Halstead just yet, Soffer’s return to Chicago P.D. Season 13 as a director is big news and could perhaps set the stage for him to step back in front of the cameras down the line.

Soffer will be stepping behind the camera once again to direct Episode 4 of the upcoming Chicago P.D. Season 13. The news was revealed by longtime producer (and close friend) Brian Luce, who shared a video on social media of the two arriving on set. “My bestie is back in the big-boy director’s chair and I couldn’t be more happy!!!” Luce captioned the post. In the clip, he can be heard excitedly chanting, “Yes, he’s back, yes he’s back,” before revealing that Soffer will be working with him on set for at least eight days, though Soffer jokingly cut in, saying, “Not enough.”

Soffer’s directing stint in Season 13 marks the second since his exit and his third behind the camera overall, following Season 10’s “Deadlocked” and Season 11’s penultimate episode, “Inventory.” For many, his continued involvement with the series feels like more than just a coincidence and could well be a sign that Halstead’s comeback might be on the cards. Furthermore, the arrival of a new character, Naomi Kerr (played by The Night Agent‘s Arienne Mandi), who brings her own military background into the fold, could be the thread that pulls Halstead, a vet, back into Intelligence. Nothing’s confirmed, of course, but we can at least dream.

Another Halstead Is Returning To One Chicago

While fans continue to anticipate the return of Jay Halstead on Chicago P.D., another Halstead is officially making his way back into the One Chicago universe, and he just might be the link that pulls Jay back into the story. Recent reports confirm that Jay’s brother, Dr. Will Halstead, will return to Chicago Med in the upcoming Season 11. An original character from the medical drama, Will was last seen in the Season 8 finale, and viewers are curious to find out what he’s been up to since his exit. Perhaps he could also offer some much-needed updates about his brother Jay. Nick Gehlfuss is set to reprise the role, though how long Will sticks around this time remains under wraps. With one Halstead already back in the mix, the other could soon be on their way. Fingers crossed!

All three One Chicago shows are scheduled to premiere in their usual time slots on October 1. Stay tuned for future updates.