Why Did Ryan Guzman Leave '9-1-1', And More Importantly, Will He Ever Return?

The return of 9-1-1 on March 6, 2025, after the series' midseason finale dropped in November 2024, brought a reality fans — and Evan "Buck" Buckley (Oliver Stark) — weren't quite ready for. Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) is leaving the 118, which means Ryan may ultimately be leaving 9-1-1.

Having joined the series in Season 2 and sticking with it through Season 8, Ryan has become a fan favorite, making the possibility of his departure all the more difficult for viewers. So why might his time on the show be coming to an end? Here's what he and showrunner Tim Minear have said about it.

Ryan Guzman appears to be leaving 9-1-1 as his character, Eddie Diaz, prepares to move to Texas to reunite with his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh). In Season 8, Episode 9, titled "Sob Stories," which aired on March 7, 2025, Eddie reveals that not only is he relocating to be closer to his son, but he has already put a down payment on a home — adding pressure to sublet his Los Angeles apartment.

Obviously, Buck isn’t taking the news well. At one point, Eddie has to usher him out the back door, almost as if he’s sneaking a date behind his family’s back, to keep him from jeopardizing his chance to rent out the apartment. And while Eddie is focused on securing a renter, he seems unaware of how his urgency is affecting those around him.

In a particularly emotional moment, Buck overhears Eddie telling a potential renter that he isn’t tied to Los Angeles — a gut punch that hits harder than Eddie may have realized. However, Ryan explained in an interview with Hello! that "I don't believe that was directed to hurt anybody." He added, "He was just saying something to appease whoever he was showing the house to, and then sell the idea that he needs them to rent this place out."

It wasn’t meant as an insult or a sign that Eddie doesn’t care about his 118 family or his life in L.A. Instead, Ryan emphasized that Eddie is "very human. He makes mistakes. He says things without thinking, and I think that was the case in this."

It’s possible. Ryan explained to Hello! that he has felt some level of anxiety in real life, similar to what Eddie is experiencing as he prepares to move and secure a renter. "Understanding where the character's going and not having an idea of where it might lead has [left me] kind of anxiety-ridden because I have no clue how long Eddie stays in Texas, or what happens in Texas."

Ryan also shared that when he spoke with showrunner Tim Minear about whether he’ll still be part of the show despite Eddie leaving LA, Tim reassured him, saying, "No worries, don't worry, I got something."

For now, it looks like Ryan is stepping away from his 9-1-1 family, but his future on the show remains uncertain. So, there’s still a chance he could return at some point!