You know that feeling when you mess up so bad you’re convinced an entire internet subculture is going to show up at your front door with pitchforks? That was basically Drew Goins in late 2024. If you’re a Jeopardy! fan, you probably remember the moment. It wasn't just a wrong answer; it was a cultural catastrophe for a specific group of people: the Swifties.
Jeopardy Drew Goins entered the Alex Trebek Stage as a sharp-witted journalist from Honolulu, but he left his first game as the guy who didn't know a Taylor Swift album. Honestly, in the hierarchy of TV blunders, it felt like he’d personally offended the high priestess of pop. But the thing about Drew is that he didn't just fade away into the "one-and-done" contestant abyss. Instead, he pulled off one of the most charismatic, unlikely comeback stories in the show’s modern history.
The Taylor Swift Incident That Started It All
It’s September 25, 2024. Drew Goins is holding his own against a two-day champ named David Erb. He’s playing well. He’s likable. He’s got that "Opinion Writer for The Washington Post" energy—smart, measured, but clearly having a blast. Then comes the clue. It’s about a Taylor Swift album. And he misses it.
The internet did what it does. People joked that he should go into witness protection. Even Drew himself admitted later that he was worried he'd be "ripped out of bed" by angry fans. But here’s the kicker: the most "angry" Swiftie in his life was actually his own brother, Zach. Zach didn't just let it go; he turned Drew’s training into a Taylor Swift boot camp. We’re talking custom practice boards that were 100% Taylor, all the time.
Most people don't get a second chance to fix a national embarrassment. But Jeopardy! has changed a lot lately. Between the Second Chance Tournament and the Champions Wildcard, the show has become a bit of a cinematic universe where "characters" return for redemption arcs. Drew was the perfect candidate.
The Second Chance Redemption
When Drew returned for the Second Chance Tournament in January 2025, he wasn't just there for the money. He was there for the reputation. Host Ken Jennings, who loves a good bit, immediately brought up the "run-in with some angry Swifties."
Drew’s response? He didn't just play well; he dominated.
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In his semifinal game, he was a freight train. He went 30-for-30 on correct responses in the first two rounds. That’s insane. You don't just "luck" into a perfect game like that. He was hunting Daily Doubles like a predator. By the time Final Jeopardy rolled around, he had $33,400. And the category? "21st Century Business."
Clue: An early version of this app was called Matchbox, but that name was too similar to another company that offered the same service.
He nailed it. "What is Tinder?"
He won that game with $36,801—one of the highest totals of the season—and more importantly, he’d already secured a Taylor Swift clue earlier in the week to "fix" his record. The "Bad Blood" was officially over. He moved on to the finals of the Second Chance group, where he faced Sam Cameron and Enzo Cunanan.
From Wildcard to the Tournament of Champions
This is where the story gets kinda weird and wonderful. Drew didn't actually win his way into the Tournament of Champions (ToC) the traditional way. In the Champions Wildcard finals, he came in as the first runner-up. Normally, that’s where the road ends. You take your $40,000 and you go back to Honolulu.
But then, Lisa Ann Walter—the Abbott Elementary star who won Celebrity Jeopardy!—had a scheduling conflict. She couldn't make the ToC filming dates.
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The producers called the alternate. They called Drew.
Some fans call him the "Gay Angel" of the season (a nickname that popped up on social media and stuck). He stepped into that ToC spot and absolutely dazzled. On February 3, 2025, he went up against Lucas Partridge and Amar Kakirde. He led at every single break. He found both Daily Doubles in Double Jeopardy back-to-back. He was doing physics anagrams like they were Sunday crosswords.
He turned a ToC quarterfinal into a runaway.
"It felt like the Mr. Krabs meme of him spiraling in a good way. Positive trauma." — Drew Goins on the experience of winning.
Why Drew Goins Matters to Modern Jeopardy
We often talk about "super-champions" like Ken Jennings or James Holzhauer. They are the GOATs because of their stats. But Jeopardy Drew Goins represents a different kind of success. He’s a "personality" champion.
The show has a history of being a bit... stiff? Maybe that’s the word. Contestants are often stone-cold gamers. Drew brought a sense of joy that actually made people tune in. Whether he was wearing a peach tie, a Hawaiian shirt, or a sweater that became a mini-meme, he looked like he was having the time of his life.
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He also humanized the "expert" role. He's a journalist for one of the most prestigious papers in the world, yet he’s openly talking about paying off student loans with his winnings and complaining about the price of YouTube TV. He’s relatable.
Breaking Down the Performance
If you look at his stats across his 2024-2025 run, they are surprisingly robust:
- He consistently stayed above a 90% accuracy rate in the first two rounds.
- His buzzer speed was elite, especially in his ToC appearance.
- He showed a rare ability to recover from "Final Jeopardy" misses, which had been his Achilles' heel in his debut.
He eventually fell in the ToC semifinals to Neilesh Vinjamuri (in a game that also featured Survivor’s Drew Basile—the "Battle of the Drews"). He missed a clue about the Valley of the Queens, losing by a narrow margin. But at that point, it didn't matter. He’d already won over the audience.
Actionable Takeaways for Future Contestants
If you're sitting on your couch thinking you could be the next Jeopardy Drew Goins, there are actually some real lessons to learn from his run. It wasn't all just luck and charisma.
- Study your "blind spots" aggressively. Drew didn't just "hope" he wouldn't get another pop culture question. He had his brother build specific boards for his weaknesses. If you hate opera or sports, that’s where you start.
- The "Full Send" Mentality. In his Second Chance comeback, Drew talked about having a "nothing to lose" attitude. On the Alex Trebek stage, hesitation is death. If you're going to bet, bet big when the category is in your wheelhouse.
- Manage the "Liminal Space." Drew described the 15 seconds before a win is announced as a "liminal space" where you're terrified your math is wrong. Practice your wagering math until it's second nature so you don't freeze when the lights are brightest.
- Personality is a Strategy. Being likable doesn't get you points, but it does help you relax. Drew’s ability to smile through a mistake kept him from spiraling, unlike many contestants who let one wrong answer ruin their entire game.
Drew Goins eventually took his winnings, paid off those journalism school loans, and took a modest trip to Mexico to "not think for a few days." It was a well-deserved break for a guy who turned a Taylor Swift blunder into a legendary multi-tournament run. He proved that on Jeopardy!, you don't have to be perfect to be a star; you just have to be willing to come back and try again.