When Jesse Lee Soffer left Chicago P.D., fans were unhappy with how Jay Halstead was written out of the series. It seemed like a sudden and incomplete exit, especially since it left Halstead's marriage to his partner Hailey Upton without any resolution. Now Soffer has spoken out about why he departed the show -- and his explanation makes Halstead's final story beats even more awkward and painful.

Speaking to Variety to promote his directing debut, Soffer said that he wanted to move on from the show and the character. "It was one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make in my life," the actor explained. "I love the fans so much. I know they're still grieving this, and to some degree, I am too." But he also revealed that he was ready to go in Season 9... so why did Halstead get such an unfulfilling goodbye in Season 10?

RELATED: Jesse Lee Soffer's Chicago P.D. Exit Is a Devastating Blow for One Chicago

Jesse Lee Soffer's Return in Season 10 Didn't Do Jay Halstead Justice

Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) stands with arms folded in the Chicago PD office

Although he was thinking of leaving after Season 9, Soffer decided to return for the start of Season 10. The last time fans saw Halstead was in Chicago P.D. Season 10, Episode 3, "A Good Man," which ended with him suddenly heading for Bolivia to join an Army task force. That quick career change was even more surprising because he did it without consulting Upton, frustrating Upstead fans who'd invested in their relationship.

Halstead's exit story felt out of character for someone who was the Intelligence Unit's moral compass. Instead of telling Chief O'Neal the truth about killing a perpetrator in self-defense, he turned in his badge and resigned. This was a departure from his usual role as a level-headed detective who often acted as a mediator between his colleagues. And throughout the series, Halstead demonstrated a deep loyalty to his colleagues and a willingness to put himself in harm's way to protect them. As such, his decision to leave without warning felt like a betrayal of that loyalty.

RELATED: How Chicago P.D. Will Survive Without Jesse Lee Soffer

Chicago P.D. Could Have Given Jay Halstead a Better Farewell

Chicago PD Season 10 Jay Halstead Upton

Now knowing that writers had advance notice of Soffer's desire to leave and that Halstead wasn't being written out like other One Chicago characters, it's surprising that Chicago P.D. didn't give him a longer and more nuanced final bow. Jay Halstead could have been written out of Chicago P.D. in a much stronger fashion. He still may have decided to leave the police force and pursue a different career path -- but that could have been accomplished more organically. Halstead's exit didn't require killing someone in self-defense or covering it up. After years of working in Intelligence, he could have simply wanted to try something new and discussed that with his wife and colleagues. This ending would have preserved Halstead's character and left opportunities for him to return, instead of Jay being (at least for now) off in a foreign country and Upstead's marriage falling apart in Season 10.

Another alternate ending could have seen Halstead take a break from Intelligence to focus on his mental health. Realizing he'd changed for the worse by shutting out Upton, he'd then seek therapy to deal with his problems and work on improving himself. These events would have also taken place off-camera but also shown the importance of taking care of one's mental health and seeking help when needed. That plot would allow Halstead's character to grow by suggesting he came back to a unit other than Intelligence and could therefore return to help in future seasons.

Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. on NBC and streams on Peacock.