8 Chicago Fire Moments That Made Us Love Matt Casey

All of the firefighters on Chicago Fire mean a lot to us, but we have to admit that Captain Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) has a special place in our hearts. He's had his ups and downs as we've watched him climb the ladder of success at Firehouse 51, and stressed us out a lot over the past 12 seasons, but no matter how bad his situation gets, he always tries to do the right thing. Over the last decade and change, he's supported his ex-wife Gabby's (Monica Raymund) decision to leave Chicago and work in Puerto Rico, helped Brett (Kara Killmer) reconnect with her birth mother, or offered up a room to his BFF Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), and that's just scratching the surface. He always manages to come through for those around him.

There's also no question that Casey has also been an incredible leader for the firehouse by sticking up for others, offering up sage advice for those who need it, and consistently making the right calls on the job. After his promotion to captain in Season 6, Casey has only grown stronger as a leader, even mentoring Blake Gallow (Alberto Rosende) when he first joined the station. In celebration of our favorite sandy-haired former Alderman, we're highlighting some his standout moments. Here are 8 moments that made us love Casey even more. 

1. When he confronted Voight in Voight's own office 

Before they were amicable colleagues working together to avert major crises in the Windy City, Casey and Voight (Jason Beghe) were on seemingly opposite ends of the law. After discovering Voight's attempt to cover up a DUI involving Voight's son, Justin (Josh Segarra), Casey refused to back down from filing a report that would have implicated both men. That resulted in Voight making physical threats against Casey and Hallie Thomas (Terri Reeves), Casey's fiance at the time. Though we now know Voight was just building up his reputation as a dirty cop for a separate case, the moment in which Casey calls Voight out to his face still makes us beam with pride. Go Casey! 

2. When he stood up for Otis after Chief Pridgen mocked him

One of Casey's honorable traits is his penchant for sticking up for those he cares about. When interim Chief Pridgen (Matthew Del Negro) cruelly teased Otis (Yuriy Sardarov) in Season 3's "Headlong Toward Disaster," Casey stepped in to defend him, telling his superior to back off. A man who always fights for what's right is great in our book.

3. Running into a collapsing parking garage to find Dawson

Casey has proven time and time again that he'll do anything for love, including rush into a collapsing parking structure to save his then-wife, Dawson. Thankfully, they both made it out just in time and escaped injury. The tense moment also gave us one epic Dawsey hug so we can't complain.

4. When he told Louie, "I will always be your dad"

If you weren't reaching for the tissues after this sweet moment from Season 5, you probably don't have a pulse. Young Louie came into Casey's life when Dawson rescued him from a burning building. Casey was hesitant at first, but then agreed to try and adopt the toddler. However, the adoption fell through when the boy's biological father showed up to claim his son. Louie might have wound up in a different home but he and Casey will always have this tender moment.

5. That time he spared our feelings and survived an out-of-control warehouse fire

Casey's fate was left in the air in the Season 5 finale when he found himself trapped and without his mask in a gnarly warehouse fire. Believing he was going to die, he made an emotional call to Dawson to tell her how much he loved her. When the show returned for Season 6, it looked like he'd be a goner for sure, but then a cruel fake-out proved otherwise. Not only did he live, he even received a Medal of Valor! So thank you, Casey, for not wrecking our hearts by dying.

6. When he went rogue and sparked a firetruck-ambulance-car chase

We all know Casey to be a stickler for the rules — some might even call him a Boy Scout — but he's been known to rebel every now and then. Case in point: Catching the guy who'd been stealing their very expensive and crucial equipment. Not only did he flex his detective skills and track down the guy's truck, but he also jumped into action to chase down the culprit via a very exciting firetruck-ambulance-car chase. We tip our hats to Cowboy Casey and wish to see more of him in the future. Also, shoutout to Brett and Foster (Annie Ilonzeh) for going full Fast and the Furious with Ambulance 61 and catching the bad guy in the end. 

7. The way he stood by Brett while she dealt with complicated family issues

One of our favorite things about Season 8 was watching Casey really be there for Brett as she reconnected with her birth mom and helped Brett deal with her mom's shocking death while the woman birth to her half-sister. These traumatic experiences have not only brought them closer together, but have shown just what an amazing support system Casey can be when things get hard. 

8. That Dawsey reunion

Techinically, this epic moment belongs to both Casey and Dawson. We were devastated when they divorced and have since accepted the end of their relationship. However, seeing these two back together — if only for one night — brought on a flood of incredible memories and reminded us that these two have chemistry. From that romantic dance to those loving gazes and Casey insisting their night together would never be a mistake, this Dawsey moment was a definite highlight of the series. Regardless of who Casey finds love with next, we'll always have a special place in our hearts for their relationship and this unforgettable moment is one of the many reasons why.

Chicago Fire returns Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 9/8c on NBC.