Okay, so Joey “Jaws” Chestnut made a big comeback at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island. He was banned last year over a messy sponsorship deal — something about plant-based hot dogs — but he’s back and ready to rumble ?.
This year he gobbled up 70.5 hot dogs (and buns) in just 10 minutes. It’s not his world record of 76 from 2021, but hey, still pretty darn amazing. The crowd was chanting “Joey, Joey, Joey” — yes, really. And he even apologized for not eating more. He said, “I wish I ate a couple more. Sorry guys.” Then promptly said he’ll be back next year.
The runner-up, last year’s champ Patrick Bertoletti, ate 46.5 hot dogs. And James Webb was close behind with 45-ish. So yup, Joey crushed ’em by nearly twenty dogs. Yikes.
This wasn’t just about jaws and buns. It was a full-on spectacle. Fans packed the stands, TV coverage hit millions, and Chestnut’s return kinda gave the whole contest some major boost—like, the hype was real. George Shea, the announcer guy, was back doing that epic intro thing only he can do.
Plus, on the women’s side, Miki Sudo won again — her 11th crown! She ate 33 hot dogs, though that’s well below her personal record of 51. But still, we love her hustle and consistency.
About that ban last year: he signed up with Impossible Foods—plant-based hot dogs—and that clashed with Nathan’s rules. Big drama. So he sat out 2024, did a smaller event in Texas where he still crushed 57 hot dogs in five minutes, and then sealed the deal to come back. Now he’s partnered with Nathan’s again for several more years.
He’s already said he’ll be back in 2026. Is he gonna break his old record? Who knows! He sounded excited and promised to train hard. As he put it, “This event means the world to me.”
Impressed? 70.5 hot dogs is wild. His apology kinda hits differently. And honestly, came back with a bang after that ban. Now we all wait to see if Joey goes for 77 next year. Classic summer, classic hot dog chaos. Love it.