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Eating extraordinaire Joey Chestnut is not content with just basking in his record-breaking Labor Day performance. He will keep his stomach active and look to claim another victory less than a week after he devoured a mind-boggling 83 hot dogs in 10 minutes to defeat his longtime feasting foe Takeru Kobayashi.
Chestnut is set to compete in the Oktoberfest Bratwurst Eating Contest during halftime of the Cincinnati Bengals' season opener versus the New England Patriots this Sunday, per TMZ Sports. Five brave souls will team up and do their best to topple Jaws in Paycor Stadium. They can only hope that the 16-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating champion is a bit worse for wear after Monday's competition.
The dominant display would suggest otherwise, however. Chestnut, who was banned from the classic Fourth of July contest due to his partnership with Impossible Foods, came into this holiday showdown with vengeance in his belly. By the end of Labor Day, that feeling was replaced with 83 all-beef dogs and buns, and of course, complete satisfaction.
Joey Chestnut joins what should be a lively day of Bengals football
Those who watched the Netflix special witnessed Chestnut eclipse the 80-mark for the first-time ever, crushing the previous world-record total of 76 that he set in 2021. Major League Eating and Nathan's surely would have preferred for that colossal achievement to be accomplished at their event in Coney Island on the nation's birthday. Instead, they will have to witness Joey Chestnut gain further national exposure on Sunday afternoon.
In addition to the greatest glutton of all-time, two-time reigning national champion Dan Hurley will be present for the Bengals opener. The UConn head coach is going to serve in the prestigious “Ruler of the Jungle” role, which requires him to lead the famous “Who Dey” chant before opening kickoff.
Chestnut is expected to cruise to another victory, much like Cincinnati is in its matchup against vulnerable New England. The halftime gorgefest may not even look as ugly as what is going to transpire on the field.
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Bengals looking to start off strong vs. Patriots
Although the Ja'Marr Chase drama continues to hover above the team, a healthy Joe Burrow should be enough to lead the Bengals to a comfortable W at home against the rebuilding Patriots. Tee Higgins remains an impactful wide receiver weapon for the QB to wield, especially in the red zone, and the defense could have plenty of opportunities to exploit a feeble offensive line and pressure Jacoby Brissett.
Following an injury-ravaged 2023-24 campaign that ended in a playoff-less 9-8 record, Cincy should be extra motivated to pounce on the rest of the AFC, including the three-peat-seeking Kansas City Chiefs. Maybe the presence of a legend like Joey Chestnut could inspire the Bengals, as they set out to win their first Super Bowl in franchise history this season.
A triumph for either the eater or football team would admittedly not mean much on the surface, but the former can enhance his legacy and the latter can quickly get in a groove. There should be a little something for everyone in this season opener.
