Joey Chestnut might once again compete in this year’s Fourth of July hot dog contest following last year’s ban due to his sponsorship deal for Impossible Foods’ vegan franks.
The 16-time champ, nicknamed “Jaws,” is currently negotiating with Major League Eating — which runs the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog contest — to return next month, TMZ Sports reports.
Despite 41-year-old Chestnut’s Impossible sponsorship costing him a spot in the 2024 festivities, the partnership will reportedly have no bearing on his participation this go-round.
Joey Chestnut reacts after winning first place, eating 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes, during the 2022 Nathans Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2022 in Coney Island. (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
It’s unclear whether Chestnut and Major League Eating have made peace over his removal from the latest Coney Island face-off, which was won by Patrick Bertoletti.
Though Chestnut said he hadn’t signed a contract, this Wednesday marks a year since MLE disqualified Chestnut for choosing “to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.”
“For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions,” MLE tweeted at the time. “Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope that he returns when he is not representing a rival brand.”
Two days later, news broke that Chestnut would compete against rival Takeru Kobayashi on Netflix’s “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef.” They’d last chowed down opposite each other in 2009, with Chestnut downing 68 dogs in 10 minutes and Kobayashi just behind with 64.
Prior to Chestnut winning 16 of the 17 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contests in which he’d participated, Kobayashi was the winner every year from 2001 to 2006.
https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/06/10/joey-chestnut-returning-july-4-hot-dog-contest/