‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Ryan Long Clears Air: Did He Lose On Purpose?

Jeopardy! champ Ryan Long cleared the air about his loss. He’s addressed many elephants in the room lately. He previously explained why he squinted so much during the Mayim Bialik-hosted episodes. Ryan used Twitter to answer fans’ burning questions about his gameplay.

Sadly, Ryan’s reign came to an end on Monday, June 6. He lost after 16 consecutive games and $299,000 total. Fans claimed that he “threw the game” because he wanted to return home to his family. Now, Ryan is breaking his silence about what really happened.

Jeopardy! champ breaks his silence on his loss

Ryan Long addressed the claims that he lost the game on purpose. Fans think he bowed out of Jeopardy!, ending his 16-game winning streak. Ryan was ultimately defeated by Minneapolis-based meteorologist Eric Ahasic, who is now on his fifth-consecutive streak. The former champ talked about his disappointing loss as fans wondered whether he wanted to end his reign early on the show.

Ryan spoke out to USA Today about what happened. He claimed he wasn’t trying to throw the game away. But, he wasn’t entirely sad about leaving the show either. Ryan just had a feeling that his streak was coming to an end.

“I saw somebody say that I threw the game. I didn’t throw the game,” Ryan explained to USA Today. “I didn’t lay down for it, but I wasn’t sad that I lost either. I felt like I was maybe ready to go, but I didn’t lay down.”

The rideshare driver got a “sign” that led to his devastating loss. His actions warned him that this wasn’t going to last forever. Ryan knew he wasn’t on top of his game that morning, and his energy was slowly decreasing over time.

“And I was just a little slower on the buzzer that day than normal,” Ryan said. “But I’m not taking anything away from Eric. He played a hell of a game.”

The Philadelphia native walked away with a total of $299,400 after his 16 wins. Ryan has the ninth-longest streak ever on the game show. He also secured a spot in the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions.

Despite his winnings, fans wondered how Ryan let his 17th win slip so quickly.

These famous Philadelphians got nothing on you, Ryan! pic.twitter.com/b9QZYDb56a

— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) June 6, 2022

Ryan Long lets down fans

That moment happened during Jeopardy’s “Daily Double” when the fan-favorite drew a blank. Fans noticed that Ryan Long wasn’t buzzing in as much as usual. Some concluded that he’s only human and probably got tired after filming so many episodes of the beloved game show. Other fans predicted how long Ryan’s reign would last before it happened.

Unfortunately, he kept drawing blanks. The father of one wasn’t even on top of his game when it came to his favorite subjects. As Jeopardy! fans watched, they were let down by his gameplay during that show. Ryan began his run on May 20th and quickly won over fans with his personality and wholesome stories.

Strap in and get ready for the ride, Eric! #overheardonset pic.twitter.com/wDVcVrNARY

— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) June 7, 2022

Do you think Ryan Long threw the game? Why do you think he lost? Do you miss him on the show? Sound off below in the comment section.

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