Joey Chestnut is back. The 16-time Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest champion announced on social media Monday that he would be participating in the 2025 edition of the event after missing last year's contest because he had a partnership with a plant-based food company. In a post on Instagram, Chestnut said "those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs."
With the holiday staple going on without him in 2024, Chestnut instead faced off against longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi in a hot dog eating contest on Netflix last September where Chestnut set a world record by consuming 83 hot dogs.
As recently as a couple weeks ago Chestnut didn't know if he'd be back, but said today that he's grateful they were able to find a common ground and called the Nathan's contest "a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Joey Chestnut Makes Big Announcement About Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
