Chicago Fire fans are used to the high-stakes rescues and emotional moments inside Firehouse 51, but according to David Eigenberg (Christopher Herrmann), some of the best memories never make it to screen.

A Game That Never Made the Cut

On the new One Chicago Podcast, Eigenberg revealed that during Season 1, the cast created their own game to pass time during long outdoor shoots. With nothing more than an empty water bottle, the cast linked arms and tried to kick it between each other’s legs in a game they dubbed “water bottle ball.”

It was silly, quick, and only lasted a minute or two—but it became a small tradition. When Jesse Spencer (Matt Casey) departed as a series regular in Season 10, the cast played one last round while filming his farewell. “We loved it,” Eigenberg recalled. “There were little tears and stuff like that. But it didn’t belong in the show.”

The Cast’s Playful Side

Eigenberg also admitted that behind the scenes, the cast shares what he calls a “low grade sense of humor.” Wrestling matches in bunker gear are not unusual—though he’s quick to clarify it’s not something real firefighters actually do.

When Miranda Rae Mayo (Stella Kidd) joined in Season 4, she immediately fit in. “She threw me to the ground and jumped on top of me,” Eigenberg laughed. “She buried me, and we were all laughing so hard. I told everybody, ‘She fits in.’” Ten seasons later, Mayo has not only cemented her place in the cast but risen to Truck lieutenant within the series.

Herrmann’s “Secret Backstory”

When asked about crossover dreams, Eigenberg said he’d love to bring Chicago Med’s Maggie (Marlyne Barrett) into the firehouse. In fact, he revealed a little-known behind-the-scenes detail: while filming the original Chicago Fire/Med pilot, he played Herrmann as if he and Maggie had a past fling. “I played it real familiar with her, and they were like, ‘Why are you playing it like that?’ I said, ‘We had a thing.’ They were like, ‘That’s not going to play in the crossover pilot,’” he joked.

A Glimpse Beyond the Drama

From goofy water bottle games to wrestling matches in gear, Eigenberg’s stories show a different side of Firehouse 51. While the onscreen world is filled with danger and drama, behind the cameras, the Chicago Fire family bonds through laughter, tradition, and a little roughhousing.