So That’s What Happened! Rome Flynn Reveals the *Actual* Story Behind Chicago Fire Exit

Ever since Firehouse 51’s newest recruit said goodbye, fans have wondered why did Derrick Gibson leave Chicago Fire and what really happened to Rome Flynn’s character? Well, after months of mystery, Flynn has finally revealed the reason he didn’t continue on Chicago Fire.

Chicago Fire is NBC’s hit procedural that follows the professional and personal lives of the firefighters, rescue personnel, and paramedics at the Chicago Fire Department’s fictional Firehouse 51. Produced by Dick Wolf, the series is the first installment of the One Chicago franchise, which includes the spinoffs Chicago P.D., Chicago Med and the now-canceled Chicago Justice. It first premiered in 2012 and is currently on its 12th season.

Derrick Gibson was first introduced during the second episode of Season 12 as a replacement for Blake Gallo (Alberto Rosende). Played by The Bold and the Beautiful alum Rome Flynn, Gibson is a quietly confident former boxer with a dark past. He was previously a floater on Truck 46 and earned his spot on the team after a heroic act that impressed Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo). A few episodes after his debut, Gibson’s past came to light and it was revealed that he accidentally killed his opponent in a boxing match, which led him to leave the sport.

Although fans instantly took a liking to the newcomer, Gibson’s time at Firehouse 51 came to an abrupt end during the eighth episode of Season 12. Keep reading for everything there is know about the reason behind Derrick Gibson’s departure.

Why did Rome Flynn leave Chicago Fire?

Flynn suggested in an Instagram post in May 2024 that he left Chicago Fire after he was cast in Season 4 of the MGM+ series, Godfather of Harlem, which tells a fictionalized story of crime boss Bumpy Johnson. “Open up my window again…grateful szn 4 otw, 📰 #godfatherofharlem #franklucas,” he captioned a screenshot of an article announcing his role.

In an interview with Deadline in August 2024, however, Flynn denied that he left Chicago Fire for Godfather of Harlem and confirmed that the new series just happened to line up after his exit from Chicago Fire.

“They were not connected at all. I did not leave that show for this one,” he said. “Everything just happened to turn out that way. It’s like you have your people but you won’t be with all of them forever. Sometimes, you meet a new person and you connect. I loved my time there. I love the cast and the crew and I miss them a lot. But we all have our own journeys, and I’m grateful for that opportunity. Now, I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity because it’s giving me the chance to step into a life like I’ve never done before.”

In Godfather of Harlem, Flynn will play real-life gangster Frank Lucas, who is described as a country boy from North Carolina who ventured to Harlem and, after initial friction with gangster Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker), eventually rose to become Bumpy’s fierce defender and right-hand man.” Denzel Washington portrayed Lucas in the 2007 movie American Gangster, which is set 10 years later than Lucas’ story in Godfather of Harlem.

“When I saw Rome’s audition, I immediately knew we’d found our man – equal parts charming and ruthless, savvy and suave. Rome is a wonderful actor who can go toe-to-toe with Forest Whitaker and our other great performers,” said creator Chris Brancato in a statement to Deadline.

Following Gibson’s exit from Chicago Fire, Flynn opened up about his character’s departure in an interview with Variety in April 2024. “Just like all the fans, I was sad to see Gibson leave. He was a character I very much enjoyed playing,” he told the outlet shortly after his final appearance. “I had a wonderful experience during my time on Chicago Fire and have great respect for the cast and crew and hope to team up with Dick Wolf again when the time is right.”

He also shared a series of behind-the-scenes photos and videos on Instagram, captioned: “Curtain call chicago fire❤️.”

The actor had previously hinted that his time on the show would be coming to an end. In late February 2024, he reposted a fan edit of himself on his Instagram Story, captioning the post: “Love to my #ChicagoFire family, it was a gift to be on truck 81.” The use of past tense had fans in a frenzy and worried that he might be leaving. One fan commented on the original posted and asked, “They kickin him off already????” to which Flynn responded: “Naa none of that.” The vague response left fans confused, but perhaps the actor was alluding to his departure being amicable.

Although this is likely the last time we’ll see Gibson for a while, he could return. In Season 1, Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) also had a painkiller problem, but he was able to overcome it and get back on truck. Fans are hoping the same will happen with Gibson, as they have already lost several characters from the series, including Blake Gallo (Alberto Rosende); Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) and Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker).

Why did Derrick Gibson leave Chicago Fire?

Why did Derrick Gibson leave Chicago Fire? The rookie firefighter left Firehouse 51 to focus on his mental heath issues, which first came to light during Episode 5.

During the episode, titled “On the Hook,” viewers learned about Gibson’s past and how he was responsible for the death of a boxing opponent. He also confessed to Sam Carver (Jake Lockett), who he had grown close with, that after accidentally killing the man, he suffered a nervous breakdown and spent some time in a psychiatric unit. He eventually became a firefighter to block out the trauma he had experienced but never fully healed from.

Gibson’s mental health took a turn for the worse when he met a high school basketball player who accidentally injured his opponent, sending him to the hospital. Gibson was absent from a few shifts and when he returned, he displayed erratic behavior and even snapped at new paramedic Jared Lennox (Wesam Keesh) in front of everyone. Carver realized that his friend was abusing painkillers and confronted him about it, which caused an angry Gibson to slam his fist into a locker and injure his hand.

Following a trail of blood, Stella found Gibson having a panic attack and crying. “I thought I pulled it together,” Gibson told her. “I need to get out. I need to go.” With that, Gibson left Firehouse 51 to work on himself and get help for his drug problem.

Fans were sad to see the newcomer go so quickly, expressing their frustrations on social media. “So Gibson is gone? After like 5 episodes? He just joined the team. I’m so confused,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another fan wrote: “I was excited for Gibson, can’t believe I waited two weeks for nothing.”