The steadfast Intelligence Unit member was missing during the squad’s latest case on Chicago P.D.
As an Intelligence Unit fan favorite on Chicago P.D., you better believe viewers were quick to note the absence of Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) during the explosive Season 13 midseason premiere (“Born Screaming”).
Ruzek has been working hard this season, while also enjoying any quality time with his wife, fellow Intelligence Unit favorite Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati), and their daughter, Makayla. The Burzek family is even contemplating a nearby move to start a new chapter outside their longtime neighborhood. But amid all of the excitement, Ruzek found himself preoccupied during P.D.‘s Season 13 return.
As Intelligence Unit leader Sgt. Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) narrowed in on serial killer Raymond Bell, he was quick to call his trusted detectives Burgess and Ruzek for their backup after learning the newest member of their unit, Eva Imani (Ari Mandi) had entered the Bell residence alone and without a warrant.
That’s when Chi-hards learned that Ruzek wouldn’t be weighing in on the blood-curdling action of Season 13’s midseason premiere. Here’s why:
Where was Adam Ruzek on Chicago P.D. this week? (January 7, 2026)
After Voight reached out to Burgess for her and Ruzek’s help in saving Officer Eva Imani (Ari Mandi) after the events of the fall finale, Burgess swiftly revealed that Ruzek wasn’t available due to his father, Bob Ruzek.
“Notify the rest of the team,” Voight told Burgess. You and Adam, meet me there.”
“OK, Adam had an emergency with Bob, so he’s at the facility,” Burgess informed Voight, already gathering her belongings to jump into action. Burgess said she would find a neighbor to babysit Makayla and would be there ASAP.
Ruzek’s father has been in an assisted care facility for his Alzheimer’s since Season 12 of Chicago P.D., when Ruzek first caught wind of his father’s diagnosis. Always one to stick close to his family, Ruzek was M.I.A. as Burgess helped Voight with the gripping serial killer case.
Chicago P.D.‘s showrunner teases what’s ahead for Season 13
While viewers were sad to miss out on Ruzek during P.D.’s action-packed midseason premiere, he is bound to return in time for some of the thrills and chills P.D. showrunner Gwen Sigan teases ahead on Season 13 of the NBC nail-biter.
“It’s a deep dive into everybody,” Sigan told NBC Insider of the last half of the season. “We’ve got this beautiful episode for Platt where Amy Morton [deep dives] into a very sensitive topic that I think we’ve always wanted to explore, but never really knew the right way to do so in the format of our show. I just think she’s wonderful in it. So is Marina.”
“And then, we’ve got a great Torres (Benjamin Levy Aguilar) episode where he’s sort of being lifted out of this dark state that he’s been in,” Sigan continued while referring to Torres’ storyline from Episode 6 (“Send Me”) when he helped a wrongfully convicted prisoner. “[Viewers] see him really devoted to solving this cold case that has no leads in sight and how he deals with that.”
Carrying through on her previous promise of delivering some game-changing guest stars, Sigan teases a “really fun” Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) episode on the Season 14 horizon, as well as more lore into the dark past of Intelligence Unit newbie Imani as we learn what actually brought her to Chicago. With so many exciting twists and turns in store for the Intelligence Unit officers, Chihards won’t want to miss where Season 13 of Chicago P.D. heads next.
