Soffer Directs Chicago P.D. Episode as Hawkins Exits
Jesse Lee Soffer returns to direct Chicago P.D. Season 14's 'Don't Blink', the episode that marks LaRoyce Hawkins' exit as Kevin Atwater.
Jesse Lee Soffer returns to Chicago P.D. Season 14 to direct the episode 'Don't Blink', according to Collider. The episode also marks LaRoyce Hawkins' exit from the series as his character Kevin Atwater.
'Don't Blink' is Soffer's fourth time directing an episode of Chicago P.D. The synopsis states that a significant turning point in Atwater's life prompts him to decide about his future, leading him to leave the Intelligence Unit.
Soffer previously starred on Chicago P.D. as Jay Halstead before exiting the series. He has since been cast as the lead in the CBS series Strike Force, playing a DEA agent in Kansas City.
Background
Soffer's first directing effort was Season 10's 'Deadlocked'. He also directed Season 11's 'Inventory' and Season 13's 'Open Wounds'. In 2025, the One Chicago franchise relaunched its crossover with 'In the Trenches', and brought it back in 2026 with 'Reckoning', which featured the reunion of Tracy Spiridakos' Hailey Upton and Soffer's Jay Halstead for the first time since Season 10.
Quick answers
Who directs Chicago P.D. Season 14 episode 'Don't Blink'?
Jesse Lee Soffer directs the episode, his fourth time directing for the series.
Is LaRoyce Hawkins leaving Chicago P.D.?
Yes, LaRoyce Hawkins exits as Kevin Atwater in the episode 'Don't Blink', with the character leaving the Intelligence Unit.