How long will Upton be in Chicago PD Season 11?

When a cast exit is announced in the break in the One Chicago franchise, we usually find that means the exit is happening early on. For example, we lost Halstead just three episodes into Chicago PD Season 10.

So, you’ll be forgiven for being worried about Hailey Upton. Tracy Spiridakos is leaving Chicago PD during the 11th season, and fans want to know how long they have with her.

There is some good news. This is not an early departure like many other characters. When talking with TVLine, new showrunner Gwen Sigan shared some great news for fans.

Upton will be around for a lot of Chicago PD Season 11

It sounds like the decision to leave the series was Spiridakos’s. Sigan shared that she gave the show a lot of leeway with her exit, making it possible to craft a full storyline to say goodbye. This allows for closure for her character as well as a chance to see her grow to the point of leaving. Except for shock decisions in killing characters, early exits don’t often give time to craft a reasonable exit storyline.

"“[Tracy] gave us a lot of leeway, which is a very kind thing to do, so we have a full season with her. We’ll have plenty of time to come up with a very satisfying ending for her character.""

- Gwen Sigan

We’re getting Upton for the majority of Chicago PD Season 11, if not all of it. Expect an Upton-heavy storyline throughout the season as we see her deal with the potential end of her marriage and figuring out what she wants to do next.

The closure is going to be seeing Upton healthier than she currently is. However, don’t expect the return of Halstead to help us say goodbye or gain full closure on that storyline. Things could change, but that’s not in the works at this point.

Chicago PD Season 11 airs on Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC. Catch up the following day on Peacock.