It takes a special kind of American tradition to bring ESPN, Pat McAfee, and competitive eating into one headline. But when the name is Joey Chestnut, all bets are off. After missing the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a high-profile fallout with Major League Eating, Chestnut has officially squashed the beef—plant-based or not—and is set to return to the Coney Island stage. This is actually crazy, considering Chestnut’s absence last year had less to do with his appetite and more with an Impossible Foods partnership that MLE saw as a violation.
Despite Joey’s insistence that his “love for hot dogs” had never wavered, the league banned him from the contest he helped define. That split triggered comparisons to past controversies. Remember Kobayashi’s 2010 ban? But this time, fans didn’t get the closure of a final face-off. Just a Chestnut-less Fourth of July and a mustard belt won with 58 dogs, not 76.
Now, Joey’s back, and so is Pat McAfee’s unfiltered enthusiasm. The ESPN host, who once had Chestnut on his show post-competition joking about “terrorizing toilets” and eating arugula to recover, didn’t hold back when Joey announced his return. McAfee jumped on X with a straight-shooting, “Holy sh*t!” And for good reason. The last time Chestnut showed up at Coney Island, he inhaled 62 hot dogs in a rain-delayed storm of chaos and crowd chants.
Chestnut, in his comeback message, made sure the stakes were clear. “I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” he said. “It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life.” The tone? Grateful but focused. “I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I’m grateful we’ve been able to find common ground.” He didn’t forget to clarify either: “To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with.”
This return is a reset. A possible final act for the most dominant figure in competitive eating. And with McAfee already leading the celebration online, don’t be surprised if ESPN rolls out the fireworks a little earlier this July. Chestnut isn’t just back—he’s back on his terms.
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