Was there ever any doubt? Despite missing out on the Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest in 2024, Joey Chestnut returned to Coney Island this year to reclaim his usurped high seat. Downing 70.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes to obliterate Pat Bertolotti by more than 20 hot dogs. Naturally, when Chestnut’s prodigal return drew comparison with another GOAT, fans couldn’t help but point out that the California native’s triumph is easily greater.
Remember when Michael Jordan suddenly dropped the now-iconic “I’m back” statement when he made his comeback to the NBA after 17 months of retirement in 1994? That was, easily, one of the most legendary comebacks of all time, with the basketball sensation leading the Bulls to three consecutive Championships in 1995, ’96, and ’97. However, fans seem to believe that the NBA MVP hardly has anything on his MLE counterpart, Chestnut.
On X, Sean was amused when some reporters tried to draw parallels between Jordan and Chestnut’s respective returns to their natural habitats. “There’s no way they just asked Joey Chestnut if his return feels like when Michael f—— Jordan retired & came back,” read the social media update, accompanied by a wheezing Shaquille O’Neal gif, in which he could hardly keep a straight face.
But the fans had no double takes about who the greater champ here is: Obviously Joey! “It’s bigger,” wrote one fan who made it clear that the 41-year-old’s return to Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest was easily the bigger achievement than what MJ managed to pull off in the 1994-95 season after coming out of his 1-and-a-half-year retirement.
There’s no way they just asked Joey Chestnut if his return feels like when Michael fucking Jordan retired & came back pic.twitter.com/XZNnFfQqmX
— Sean (@seankolo992) July 4, 2025
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