Joey Chestnut Will Compete in 2025 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest After 2024 Ban

Joey Chestnut announced that he'll return to the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2025 in a social media post on Monday following his 2024 ban.

"I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest," Chestnut wrote in a post on X. "This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life."

The 41-year-old was prohibited from competing in the 2024 event after agreeing to a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, via Steve Cuozzo of the New York Post.

Major League Eating, which Nathan’s sanctions to run the Hot Dog Eating Contest, drew the line at letting Chestnut pitch for the plant-based hot dogs, per Cuozzo.

TMZ Sports reported that Chestnut and MLE were "actively negotiating" an agreement to return to the competition on Tuesday.

He also discussed his openness to come back to the event in May.

“If they came back with similar terms we were talking about last year, I would definitely consider it,” Chestnut said, via Christian Arnold of the New York Post. “I’d work with them to make sure there weren’t any conflicts with other sponsors."

He's won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest a record 16 times. Chestnut also holds the event record with 76 hot dogs eaten in 2021.

He consumed 83 hot dogs in a battle with former rival Takeru Kobayashi as part of a Sept. 2024 Netflix special. Patrick Bertoletti was the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating champion in his absence, eating 58 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

Now, Chestnut is back.