10 Greatest Chicago Fire Relationships, Ranked

Chicago Fire is the flagship TV series for Dick Wolf’s One Chicago franchise, and the dynamic cast set the stage for the franchise to blossom. The series follows a tough and highly skilled group of Chicago Firefighters as they navigate their dangerous job. While the series is very action-heavy, the true heart of the Chicago Fire comes from the connections between the main characters.

Chicago Fire has had one of the largest casts from within the One Chicago franchise. This large cast has a lot of heart that attracts viewers and ensnares them in their stories. The diverse relationships make Chicago Fire a standout series not only in the One Chicago franchise but on television overall.

10. Randall ‘Mouch’ McHolland & Christopher Herrmann are Old-School Friends

Christopher Herrmann and Randall ‘Mouch’ McHolland Have a Friendly Relationship.

• Both are Co-Owners of Molly’s Bar.
• Herrmann holds the rank of Lieutenant.
• Mouch is the Union President for the Firefighters.

Randall McHolland, better known as Mouch and Christopher Herrmann enjoy a close friendship in Chicago Fire. Both men are long-time veterans of Firehouse 51. In addition to sharing experience as a commonality, both Herrmann and Mouch have similar personalities when it comes to being old-school firefighters with dry wit as a result of their experiences.

Mouch and Herrmann have a great friendship, and both together and individually, provide a great service to those in the firehouse. However, Herrmann and Mouch are often in the background when it comes to screen time featuring their friendship. The most interesting storylines for Mouch and Herrmann tend to favor them separately rather than as a pair.

9. Wallace Boden and Stella Kidd Have a Touching Bond

Wallace Boden and Stella Kid Have a Familial Relationship.

• Stella is an expert mixologist and manager at Molly’s.
• Boden delivered his son in the back of a firetruck.
• Boden has recently been promoted to First Deputy Fire Commissioner.

Two of the most beloved characters in Chicago Fire are Wallace Boden and Stella Kidd. Boden has been the fearless leader of Firehouse 51 since the very first season of Chicago Fire. Stella Kidd joined as a firefighter for Truck 81 in the 4th season of the Chicago Fire.

Stella Kidd had a hard life and lost her parents at a young age, which sent her down a dark path that led to substance abuse issues and a toxic relationship. Boden is her mentor figure at the firehouse and supported her growth as a firefighter, including her program Girls on Fire to promote firefighting as a career to young girls. Boden’s consistent support of Stella personally and professionally made him the natural choice in her eyes to walk her down the aisle when she married Kelly Severide in Season 10, Episode 22, “The Magnificent City of Chicago.” The scene where Stella asks Boden to do the honor is incredibly heartwarming and cements their familial bond.

8. Christopher and Cindy Herrmann Have Been Together for Decades

Christopher and Cindy Herrmann Have a Romantic Relationship.

• The pair have five children together, comprised of four sons and one daughter.
• Cindy is an observant Catholic and is against the use of birth control.
• Leslie Shay and Kelly Severide are the godparents of Chris and Cindy’s son, Kenny James Herrmann.

Cindy and Christopher Herrmann have been married for over 20 years. The pair are well-established in their relationship when they are introduced in Season 1. The pair have stood the test of time through many issues, including financial difficulties and the stress of Herrmann’s dangerous job.

Cindy and Chris’ strength is in their enduring love for each other. There is never any doubt that they will support each other through any hardship. This is proven further when Cindy is diagnosed with lung cancer in Season 11. Herrmann and Cindy get through the battle together and rejoice when Cindy fully recovers.

7. Wallace and Donna Boden Have a Beautiful Love Story

Donna and Wallace Boden Have a Romantic Relationship

• Wallace Boden is a former Navy SEAL.
• Donna Boden is a teacher.
• They have a son together named Terrance Boden.

It’s safe to say that Wallace Boden was not expecting to meet the love of his life when he responded to a building fire in Season 2 of Chicago Fire. Nevertheless, he met a teacher named Donna Robbins. With encouragement from firefighters under his command, Boden began a relationship with Donna. Things were tumultuous due to Boden’s insecurities, but Boden cemented his bond with Donna via marriage when Donna announced she was expecting a child.

Boden and Donna connect on a deep level and uplift each other through their struggles. Boden’s reputation as a strong and stable figure is cemented in his depiction of his relationship. However, this relationship also gives him the strength to be vulnerable, which adds layers to his character.

6. Matthew Casey and Gabby Dawson Were a Dynamic Pair

Matthew Casey and Gabby Dawson Have a Romantic Relationship.

• Gabby Dawson exited Chicago Fire at the beginning of Season 7.
• Matthew Casey exited Chicago Fire in Season 10.
• Gabby Dawson was one of the original owners of Molly’s Bar.

The relationship between Gabby Dawson and Matthew Casey was one of the first major relationships of Chicago Fire. The pair had underlying romantic tension permeating their early interactions before they began dating in Season 2. They have a fast-paced relationship that meshes well with their intense personalities and marry in Season 5.

Dawson and Casey’s relationship was incredibly entertaining and made the plot of Chicago Fire very dynamic. Both Casey and Dawson are passionate and dedicated people, which brought up interesting conflicts in their relationships. Though the pair would divorce when Dawson moved to Puerto Rico, their relationship was a fantastic addition to Chicago Fire.

5. Matthew Casey and Kelly Severide Have a Complex Friendship

Matthew Casey and Kelly Severide Have a Friendship

• Kelly Severide’s father used to work at the same firehouse Kelly now works at.
• Both are leaders of their respective teams, Truck and Engine.
• Matt Casey ran a political race in Chicago Fire and was elected Alderman.

Matt Casey and Kelly Severide have an incredibly complex relationship that permeates the early seasons of Chicago Fire. The series begins with Casey and Severide at each other’s throats after the death of their close friend, Andy Darden, at the scene of a fire. Casey and Severide are blaming each other for the death and struggling to accept the loss. Eventually, they reconcile and regain the close friendship they had before.

Casey and Severide have a deep bond and an unwavering loyalty that comes with fighting fires side by side. Both men hold a leadership role, so they share an understanding of the deeper responsibilities of being a leader in such a dangerous field. There is no doubt that Casey and Severide will always have each others back.

4. Matt Casey and Sylvie Brett Grew in Their Marriage

Matt Casey and Sylvie Brett Romantic

• Sylvie Brett exits Chicago Fire in Season 12.
• Sylvie Brett is a small-town girl from Indiana.
• Both Casey and Brett were in serious relationships before entering their marriage.

Matt Casey and Sylvie Brett had a well-established foundation for their relationship, as they had a solid bond as coworkers from when Brett debuted in the series in Season 3. Their relationship began to skew towards romantic after Gabby Dawson and Matt Casey divorced when she moved to Puerto Rico in Season 7. Brett and Casey have a winding road in their relationship, but they are on solid ground as a couple when they marry in one of the show’s best episodes, Season 12, Episode 6, “Port In The Storm.”

Matt and Sylvie’s relationship path made them both stronger as people. They provide stability for the other and allow their partner to flourish professionally. The maturity that has come from their growth allowed their relationship to survive hurdles, such as their long-distance period.

3. Leslie Shay and Kelly Severide Had an Unbreakable Friendship

Leslie Shay and Kelly Severide Have a Friendship

• Leslie Shay and Kelly Severide were both introduced in the pilot episode.
• Leslie Shay was the first LGBTQ+ character in Chicago Fire.
• Kelly Severide has struggled with addiction issues.

Leslie Shay and Kelly Severide have an incredibly complex friendship. The power of this friendship has been evident in Chicago Fire long after the death of Leslie Shay in Season 2, Episode 22, “Real Never Waits. Shay and Severide look out for each other even when it breaks the rules, such as Shay giving Kelly pain medication off the record for an injury.

Severide and Shay both have a tendency to engage in risky behavior, and they each look out for the other while allowing them to be themselves. Kelly was broken by Leslie’s death, and he bottled up his emotions that he was previously allowed to express freely with Shay. Kelly still finds it hard to accept the loss, even going as far as breaking into a junkyard to retrieve a discarded memorial to Shay in Season 9, Episode 2, “That Kind of Heat.”

2. Kelly Severide and Stella Kidd Have a Fantastic Marriage

Kelly Severide and Stella Kidd Have a Romantic Relationship

• Stella Kidd became a Lieutenant in Season 9.
• Stella Kidd befriended Gabby Dawson while at the Fire Academy.
• Kelly Severide has worked as an Arson Investigator.

Kelly Severide has had a number of flings and relationships over the course of Chicago Fire. However, once he met Stella Kidd, nothing would be the same. Stella was guarded from her tough upbringing, so they had an uphill battle ahead of them which is comprised of false starts and denied feelings.

Once Kelly and Stella cement their romantic relationship, they bring out the best in each other. They both are devoted to their jobs and some of the best firefighters in the department. Both Kelly and Stella uplift their partner while protecting them so they can thrive. Their passion for each other mirrors their devoted personalities and is the best relationship currently featured on Chicago Fire.

1. Brian ‘Otis’ Zvonecek and Joe Cruz Have a Friendship That Transcends Death

Brian ‘Otis’ Zvonecek and Joe Cruz Have a Strong Friendship

• Otis is a first generation Russian-American and is fluent in the language.
• Joe Cruz comes from a rough neighborhood in Chicago.
• Joe Cruz is also a Zumba instructor.

It’s undeniable that the friendship between Brian ‘Otis’ Zvonecek and Joe Cruz is the best friendship to be featured on Chicago Fire. Brian and Otis are attached at the hip from the very first episode. The duo are there for their best friend through thick and thin and encourage the other to reach their goals, no matter how serious or benign they may be. The friendship between Otis and Cruz brings out the best in both of them.

In one of the most devastating moments of the series, Otis passes away in the line of duty in Season 8, Episode 1, “Sacred Ground.” Joe is by his side to hear his last words, reminding him that Otis will always be with him. Joe carries his friend’s legacy forward by naming his son Brian in his friend’s honor. The way this friendship transcends life and death makes it the most profound relationship in Chicago Fire.