The Captain Casey Moment That Might Have Gone Too Far On Chicago Fire

Since "Chicago Fire" got its start, Lieutenant Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer) seemed like an honest, constant presence. He was always there to keep the firefighters of Firehouse 51 in check, and when a voice of reason was needed to sort out an issue, he could command an audience like no other. It's easy to see why he was many viewers' favorite character for many years until he unexpectedly departed.

For 200 episodes across 10 seasons, Matthew Casey helped save the day on numerous occasions. He's run into wreckage to save lives and confronted those in power who abused their positions. When he was the only one who could get a job done, he sprung into action and showed us all what a true hero looks like. However, Casey's only human, and just because he has plenty of noteworthy moments doesn't mean he's perfect. 

In fact, many would argue Casey made some ... questionable decisions, particularly in his later seasons. He may have moved to Oregon, but fans just can't forget the one moment where Casey likely took things a bit too far.

Pretty much every firefighter on "Chicago Fire" has made a questionable decision in the past, but few nearly lost their lives as carelessly as Casey in the Season 7 episode "A Closer Eye." In the episode's opening moments, the team gets a call about an injured maintenance worker stuck in an elevator shaft with a malfunctioning elevator about to descend on him. Time is of the essence, and when the crew arrives, they quickly form a plan. Rather than consult with anyone else, Casey decides to slide into the shaft to try to save the worker himself, and he nearly dies in the process. 

The reason for this sudden burst of irrationality can be attributed to the fact that Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund) moved to Puerto Rico in the Season 6 finale. He's not dealing with his wife's departure so well, and his marriage is definitely on the line. However, as a firefighter, one has to assume that he's used to separating his personal and professional lives so that he can make the best decisions in the moment. Running into a deadly elevator shaft was ridiculous, and his teammates certainly let him know of that fact when he (thankfully) made it out alive.

Captain Casey has always been a voice of reason on the show, and while the moment made for some tense television, it really felt out of character even though there's some rationale for it. Maybe it's for the best Casey moved to Oregon years later. He could use some time to get his head together.