There’s nothing more American than baseball, apple pie and Joey Chestnut scarfing down hot dogs on July 4.

It is being reported, however, that the man who has won 16 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating competitions won’t be competing this Independence Day.

The New York Post reports that Chestnut, who has won the event every year since 2016, is out over a deal he made to represent a different wiener brand, Impossible Foods.

A representative for Major League Eating told the Post the organizers gave in to many of Chestnut’s demands, including allowing him to participate in a rival Labor Day dog-eating fest to air on Netflix. The stipulation, however, was no rival hot dog brand was mentioned.

Chestnut was last seen in Oxford, Miss., with Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the Rebels’ Grove Bowl Games for a hot dog-eating contest.

In July, Chestnut downed 62 franks and buns in 10 minutes. Chestnut, 40, first competed for the Nathan’s title in 2005 and hasn’t lost it since 2015. His best finish was in 2021 when he tallied 76 hot dogs.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.