Joey Chestnut Open to Future Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contests: ‘I Don’t Hold Grudges’

zach bacharContributor IJuly 3, 2024

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Despite his ban from the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut revealed that he’s willing to return to the competition in the future.

Chestnut discussed his openness to pursuing a resolution with George and Richard Shea, the brothers who run Major League Eating, in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Emma Baccellieri.

“I don’t think the Shea brothers are bad people,” he said. “I’m not burning any bridges. And I love it—I love the Fourth of July and that contest. I’m always willing to try. I don’t hold grudges. So nothing is out of the question.”

After winning the Nathan’s Contest in every year since 2016, he was left out of the competition in 2024 due to a brand partnership. According to Steve Cuozzo of the New York Post, Chestnut was prevented from the contest due to his brand deal with Impossible Foods.

While he won’t be participating in the Nathan’s competition, he’ll still be making a Fourth of July appearance at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Chestnut will be part of a hot dog-eating contest against four U.S. soldiers, measuring their combined efforts against his own over the course of five minutes (via Cedar Attanasio of the Associated Press).

While he’ll still have plans on July 4, Chestnut discussed the importance of the Nathan’s Contest in his interview on Tuesday.

“It’s more than a contest,” he said, per Baccellieri. “A lot of the mail or letters I get from people, it’s not saying, ‘Oh my God, you eat so many hot dogs, it’s amazing.’ It’s, ‘You’ve been a part of my Fourth of July for so long.’ That’s the awesome part. I get to be a part of people’s Fourth of July.”

Chestnut has won the contest at Coney Island 16 total times. He also holds a world record by eating 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes during the 2021 competition.

Major League Eating also seems to be open to a potential resolution, as TMZ reported on June 11 that the organization would “welcome him back with open arms” when his Impossible Foods deal expires.

Although he won’t be a part of the contest in 2024, the door doesn’t appear to be completely shut on an eventual return.