ESPN panel debates if Joey Chestnut is an all-time great athlete

Joey Chestnut is a 16-time Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest champion and the No. 1 ranked competitor in the Major League Eating rankings.

But does that qualify Chestnut as one of the greatest athletes of all-time? ESPN asked this very question during a recent edition of “First Take” after Chestnut devoured 62 hot dogs on his way to claiming the top spot once again.

The ever-outspoken Chris “Mad Dog” Russo made it very clear which side of the aisle he stands on.

“Does anybody care about Joey Chestnut eating a hot dog?” Russo said, via Mediaite. “This is ridiculous. And now we’re gonna debate whether Joey’s an athlete? I mean, are we serious here? I wouldn’t watch that if it was in my backyard. I’d draw the blinds. That is the biggest waste of time.

“I can’t believe this wonderful network put me on, on July 4th… Enough of eating hot dogs! Sixty-two of them! And then we’re gonna sit there and we’re gonna claim, ‘Is this a sport or not?’ It is not a sport! And it’s disgusting to look at, him shoving hot dogs in.”

It wasn’t a record-breaking performance for Chestnut, but he did win the event by a wide margin, eating 13 more hot dogs than anyone else in the field.

How does Chestnut’s success in the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest compare to some of the other all-time great champions in sports? Bill Russell won 10 NBA championships. Tom Brady won seven Super Bowl rings. Michael Jordan owns six NBA titles. Tiger Woods is a 15-time major champion.

The only one to really compare Chestnut’s success to? WWE legend Ric Flair, a 16-time World Heavyweight Champion. Talk about elite-level company. Even at age 39, Joey Chestnut is showing no signs of slowing down.

Joey Chestnut chasing more competitive eating records

Chestnut, who owns 55 world records, is on the prowl for more. Speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday, the Westfield, Indiana, resident said he would like to do some more “overseas stuff.”

“I want to do more overseas stuff,” Chestnut said, via Fox News. “… Would love to get a sushi record. I want to go to Alaska and do king crab. Taco Bell, that would be a fun one.”