Tim Janus, 'Amazing Race' alum who competed with Joey Chestnut, dies: Reports

By
FOX Local
Published September 23, 2026 1:37 PM EDT

Tim 'Eater X' Janus attends 2015 Nathan's Famous 4th Of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island on July 4, 2015 in New York City. (Credit: Henry S. Dziekan III/FilmMagic)

The Brief

    • Competitive eater Tim Janus, known as "Eater X," died Sept. 16 after a long battle with cancer. He was 49.
    • Janus competed with Joey Chestnut on "The Amazing Race" in 2018.
    • He was ranked No. 2 in competitive eating and won championships in ramen and nigiri eating.

Tim Janus, a competitive eater known as "Eater X" who competed on "The Amazing Race," has died, according to reports. He was 49.

Janus’ publicist confirmed his death to professional eating organization Major League Eating, TMZ and People reported. 

‘Amazing Race’ competitor Tim Janus dies

Big picture view:

According to his publicist, Janus died on Sept. 16 following a "long battle with cancer." 

Janus competed alongside fellow competitive eater Joey Chestnut on the 30th season of "The Amazing Race," which aired in 2018.

Tim Janus’ legacy

Dig deeper:

Before appearing on television, Janus established himself as one of the world’s top competitive eaters. He was ranked No. 2 in the world behind Chestnut and won multiple eating championships.

Janus was once crowned the world ramen-eating champion after consuming 10.5 pounds of ramen in less than eight minutes. He also won a world championship in nigiri eating.

He competed in the annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2014, eating 44 hot dogs.

Janus also appeared on several other television shows. He won $1,600 on "Cash Cab" and later competed on the syndicated version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," where he won $100,000.

What they're saying:

"Janus was intelligent, restless, funny and relentlessly interested in the world around him," his publicist wrote. "His interests could be unconventional, but his enthusiasm for them was genuine. He had little concern for whether the things that fascinated him were things that were supposed to fascinate him." 

RELATED: Celebrity deaths of 2026: The entertainers and artists we lost this year

Crazy Legs Conti, Janus’s former roommate and a former world oyster-eating champion, also issued a statement to Major League Eating, writing, "Tim followed his own passions and dreams without regard for the pressures or expectations of society. He was unique, brilliant and beloved by his friends. He lived his life on his own terms." 

He is survived by his mother, father, stepmother and sister.

The Source: The information for this story was provided by Tim Janus’ publicist via Major League Eating. TMZ contributed. This story was reported from Los Angeles.

EntertainmentU.S.