Joey Chestnut in talks for return to July 4 hot dog eating contest

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The greatest competitive eater of all time has an appetite for more.

After sitting out last year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut reportedly is in talks to return to the U.S. Independence Day tradition in Coney Island, N.Y.

According to TMZ Sports, Chestnut and Major League Eating actively are negotiating towards seeing the 16-time champion of the event return after a year on the sidelines due to a contractual beef.

The outlet also says that both sides are eager to get a deal in place for the event which is less than a month away.

Chestnut wasn’t allowed by MLE to compete in last year’s edition of the marquee eating contest due to his sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods — which TMZ reports is no longer a factor in discussions.

While Chestnut claimed that he was banned from the contest for signing with “a rival brand,” MLE said that it was Chestnut’s own choice to not compete this year in the contest that he had won 16 of the previous 17 years.

“Joey was not banned. Joey chose not to compete in the contest the moment he chose to make an endorsement deal with one of Nathan’s competitors,” an MLE rep told the New York Post at the time.

Patrick Bertoletti, who won the 2024 contest, admitted his victory had an asterisk due to the long-reigning champion’s absence.

Chestnut did take part in a hot dog eating competition last summer, going head-to-head with long-time rival Takeru Kobayashi in a showdown streamed live on Netflix.

Chestnut consumed a world-record 83 hot dogs and buns during the 10-minute contest compared to Kobayashi’s 66. At the 2024 Nathan’s contest, Bertoletti ate 58 weiners for the win. 

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