Joey Chestnut reveals his absurd goal for Nathan's hot dog eating contest return

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Though in the case of Joey Chestnut, it may be that absence makes the heart grow hungrier.
Chestnut is returning to the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating competition after a dispute relating to a sponsorship deal the famed eater had with a plant-based brand Impossible Foods led him to be barred from last year's competition on the Coney Island boardwalk.
Major League Eating and Chestnut announced Monday morning that they thawed out the footlong-sized beef and that the sport's biggest star would be back for this year's contest, taking place in just over two weeks.
Joey Chestnut is making his return to the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest this year, with a lofty goal.
Paul Martinka
'I guess we learned from our mistakes maybe,' Chestnut said in an interview with TMZ. 'Last year, both sides kind of dug in our heels. I was working with a company they didn't think I should be working with and I said, 'no it wasn't against any part of our old agreements.' We just kind of met in the middle [this year] and I think when communication breaks down, bad things happen.
'We started talking again and we got it figured out.'
The Post confirmed last week that the two sides were having conversations over a potential reunion and that other brand deals were not going to be a factor in talks.
Chestnut also hinted at that factor in a statement released on Monday morning as part of his post on social media announcing his return to the Nathan's contest.
The famed eater admitted to TMZ that it was 'tough' having to watch from the sidelines last year and that 'it kind of sucked that it wasn't my choice' not to be there.
Joey Chestnut during the weigh-in ceremony ahead of the 2023 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island.
REUTERS
'It kind of makes you hungry,' he said. 'You kind of have to go without something in order to know how much you appreciate it and I'm definitely hungry for this year. Two and a half weeks, I'm going to be putting down some hot dogs.'
With Chestnut's return, the competition may be shaking in their buns as the man nicknamed 'Jaws' declared he would be going into the competition looking to 'drop the hammer' and eying to hit the 80-dog mark. It ate a Nathan's record 76 in 2023.
Patrick Bertoletti won last year's event in Chestnut's absence by eating 58 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

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