The return of “Chicago P.D.” after its winter break comes with a notable absence—Adam Ruzek, portrayed by Patrick John Flueger, is missing from the action. When Hank Voight, played by Jason Beghe, reaches out to both Adam and his wife Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) for assistance in apprehending the deadly Raymond Bell (Barry Del Sherman), Kim explains Adam’s unavailability as he tends to another urgent matter.

“Adam had an emergency with Bob, so he’s at the facility,” Kim clarifies. Since it was supposed to be their day off, she also scrambles to arrange childcare for their daughter, Makayla (Ramona Edith Williams). While Kim teams up with Hank on the case, Adam’s absence slips into the background, unmentioned thereafter.

Adam’s father, “Disco” Bob Ruzek (Jack Coleman), has been a recurring character since Season 2, with Adam arranging for his care in a memory facility during Season 12. This storyline conveniently accounts for Adam’s absence on the show, though in reality, Flueger is dealing with personal issues unrelated to the plot.

In October 2025, Patrick John Flueger announced a temporary leave from “Chicago P.D.,” citing personal reasons. Given his involvement in episodes scheduled during his hiatus, the scripts were adjusted to accommodate his absence. Flueger resumed his role in December 2025, nearly two months after stepping away.

Patrick John Flueger announced in October 2025 that he’d be taking a leave of absence from “Chicago P.D.,” citing personal matters as the reason for his leavetaking. Since he had already been written into several episodes that were scheduled to be filmed while he was gone, the scripts were rewritten to cover his departure. Flueger reported back to work in December 2025, just short of two months after his exit.

There’s no hint as to what future storylines might bring Ruzek and Burgess, but the twosome have had an active first half of Season 13. Settling into married life, they contemplated moving to a new neighborhood and learned how to balance their work and personal lives, leading to a variety of touching Burzek moments and allowing fans to once again have their hearts melted by the sight of Adam being a dad to Makayla. The family’s future remains unwritten, but with luck, Ruzek and Flueger will both return to a much more copacetic internal landscape.