15-TIME CHAMP

How 63 hot dogs & 1 unexpected guest were no match for Joey Chestnut

Joey Chestnut
Chestnut finished with 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Photo by Ken Hoffman.

You were impressed by Tiger Woods playing 18 playoff holes on a broken leg to win the 2008 U.S. Open?

How about Muhammad Ali fighting 11 rounds with a broken jaw against Ken Norton in 1973?

Kirk Gibson limping around the bases on an injured leg after belting a game-winning homer in the 1988 World Series?

Or Cosmo Kramer taking over the wheel of a runaway bus, fighting off a mugger and continuing to make all the stops?

Sure there have been legendary displays of courage under pressure, but nothing will compare to the raw guts and intestinal magnificence that Joey “Jaws” Chestnut displayed Sunday while winning his 15th title in the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island.

Chestnut entered the event at a disadvantage with his foot in a boot due to a ruptured tendon. Competitors were salivating at the chance to face a hobbled champion. Or perhaps it was the aroma of freshly grilled hot dogs that got their digestive juices flowing.

Then, as Chestnut was grabbing for his 11th HD&B (hot dog and bun), a protestor wearing a Darth Vader mask and carrying a sign reading “Expose Smithfield’s Deathstar” rushed the stage and bumped into Chestnut.

Smithfield is the biggest producer of pork products in America and has been accused of less than humane conditions on its pig farms in Utah. Chestnut reacted swiftly, grabbing the protestor in a rear naked choke that would make UFC champ Charles Oliveira envious.

The incident took only seconds, Chestnut barely broke his stride, and finished with 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes. His total was far below the record 76 franks he consumed last year, but still 20 dogs ahead of his nearest rival. It was Chestnut’s 15th title overall in Coney Island, a record that is unrivaled in major sports. Only Rafael Nadal’s 14 championships at the French Open tennis tournament is close.

Point of clarification and confusion. While the protestor referenced Smithfield’s pork production facility, Nathan’s hot dogs are 100-percent beef. Also, the Nathan’s skinless hot dogs you buy in supermarkets are not the same natural casing dogs you get at Nathan’s restaurant on the corner of Surf and Stillwell in Coney Island. Nathan’s brand does produce natural casing dogs for supermarkets, but they’re expensive and difficult to find. I settle for Boar’s Head.

I’ve had several up close and personal experiences with the mighty Chestnut. I was his official “judge” and hot dog counter at five of his Coney Island victories. Plus I was his assistant at the 2009 World Kolache Eating Contest at Minute Maid Park. I carried his jug of Kool-Aid to the field and made sure his contractual needs were met. Chestnut won the kolache clash, downing 45 sausage kolaches in eight minutes. It was a tighter finish than expected as Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti threatened Chestnut right to the bitter end by inhaling 42 of the bready breakfast pastries.

The day before, I conducted an exhaustive 2-hour interview with Chestnut on radio. I didn’t hold back with my questions. Yes, I went there. His answer was … around 3 or 4 a.m. and it ain’t pretty.

This year’s event wasn’t the first time there was civil disobedience at the Nathan’s Famous July 4 Hot Dog Contest.

In 2009, legendary Japanese competitor Takeru “The Tsunami” Kobyashi attempted to disrupt the event, considered the World Series of competitive eating, by challenging Chestnut to a showdown. Kobyashi had been barred from entering that year’s contest because he refused to sign an exclusive contract with the sponsoring Major League Eating group. With the crowd chanting “let him eat” Kobyashi went all Clubber Lang on Chestnut, yelling and screaming, questioning the champion’s courage and appetite for competition among other things.

Was it a publicity stunt? Did contest organizers know about Kobyashi’s plan? Nobody knows now and New York City police didn’t know then. They arrested Kobyashi for trespassing, resisting arrest and “obstructing government administration.” Police hauled his inexplicably skinny butt away kicking and flailing.

Before they could stuff Koby in the back of a paddy wagon, one of Kobyashi’s stray kicks struck my son who was watching in the VIP section. Prior to this, his favorite brush with celebrity was getting his hero Jeff Bagwell’s autograph at Minute Maid Park. Getting booted by Kobyashi was 10x cooler.

In 2017, animal rights protestors attempted to rush the stage. Thwarted by security, they threw red paint on spectators. I was on the stage during the disturbance. Later I learned that one of my entourage, wearing a souvenir Coney Island T-shirt, was splattered by the paint. He was not happy. I said, “Are you kidding? That shirt is a piece of history now. It belongs in the Smithsonian. Or in a Tide commercial.”

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Can Will Anderson and the Texans defense force Drake Maye into rookie mistakes? Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

The New England Patriots are turning things over to Drake Maye, and his first shot will come against the AFC South-leading Houston Texans.

The first-round draft pick is replacing Jacoby Brissett as the starter in the hopes that he can snap the Patriots’ four-game losing streak. But he’ll have to do it against one of the NFL's toughest defenses.

“There’s never a perfect time to make a change,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said this week after announcing the swap. “Every defense that we play ... they all have the ability to rush and get after the quarterback. So, I don’t think there’s ever a perfect time.”

But the Texans (4-1) will pose an especially difficult challenge for Maye and the makeshift New England (1-4) offensive line that has started five different combinations in five games. Houston pressures the quarterback more than any other team in the league – 42% of dropbacks, according to NFL NextGen stats.

“It’s probably going to be a little nervous at the beginning,” Maye said this week. “I think once we settle down, we have a chance to move the football and just have fun out there. ... That’s what this game is about: Don’t make it too big or the spotlight too big. Just go out there with those guys that we’ve been battling for three months since training camp, go out there and try to make some plays.”

After winning the opener and going to overtime in Week 2, the Patriots were blown out by the Jets and 49ers and lost 15-10 to Miami, another of the NFL’s worst teams. In all, Brissett has completed 79 of 135 passes for 696 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said there’s a challenge in facing an unknown such as Maye, who was 4 of 8 for 22 yards in mopup duty against the New York Jets in Week 3.

“What I’ve seen is a young, athletic quarterback who has a live arm, can move around really well in the pocket, can escape the pressures,” Ryans said. “Them, making that move, (they’re) looking for a spark for their offense, and he can provide it.”

Running game help

Houston’s running game could get a boost with the return of Dameon Pierce.

The third-year pro hasn’t played since injuring his hamstring in the season opener. But he has been practicing this week and Ryans said he expects him to play Sunday.

Pierce, who ran for 939 yards as a rookie in 2022, should improve a rushing attack which ranks 23rd in the NFL by averaging just 104.2 yards a game.

Stroud is excited to have Pierce back on the field.

“It is really big, I am very happy for DP,” he said. “He has worked really hard to come back.”

KPRC2's Aaron Wilson is reporting that Joe Mixon could return this week as well, he practiced on Thursday and Friday.

Mixon has been out since injuring his ankle against the Bears in Week 2.

Special teams star

Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn earned AFC special teams player of the week honors for the second time this season on Wednesday.

Fairbairn’s 59-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Texans to the victory over the Bills.

It was his eighth field goal this season of at least 50 yards, which is the most in NFL history through the first five games of a season. It’s also the most 50-yarders made in a season in franchise history.

“It’s comforting for everyone to know wherever we are, (Ka’imi) can make a play,” Ryans said.

Fairbairn loves being in those high-pressure situations.

“Whatever yardage it is, I really don’t care. I want that shot,” he said. “I think part of being good at this job is ... wanting that opportunity.”

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