‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Ryan Long Just Surpassed Jonathan Fisher’s Record and Fans Are Loving It
Philly native Ryan Long continues his epic winning streak on Jeopardy! Recently clinching his 12th consecutive game, Long just beat former champ Jonathan Fisher’s 11-game record and is looking forward to the 2022 Tournament of Champions. The rideshare driver’s easygoing demeanor coupled with his trivia smarts is earning him a solid fan base.
Viewers cheer on ‘Jeopardy!’ champ
Long seems to be following in the footsteps of predecessors Matt Amodio, Amy Schneider, and Mattea Roach between his knack for knowledge and affable demeanor. Season 38 has delivered record-breaking numbers on Jeopardy! with consecutive winners, all of whom acquired somewhat of a fan following. Long is clearly hitting high marks with viewers as well as jackpot earnings.
“I truly hope he wins forever,” a follower posted on Instagram.
“How can you not love Ryan – he has all the characteristics! 🥰” another wrote.
“His life and that of all the winners is forever changed with this show. Intelligence shines!” a fan remarked.
“Ryan is an all-time great 🔥🔥🔥” a viewer commented.
‘Jeopardy!’ fans describe Ryan Long as ‘humble’
One word regarding Long kept popping up in social media posts as fans flocked to show their support as he achieved his 12th victory.
“Go Ryan!!! 🥳 He’s so fun to watch — such a sweet, humble gentleman,” a follower shared.
“He seems so nice and humble!” another posted.
“Great humble guy!!! Keep it going Ryan! 👏” a viewer cheered.
Another simply wrote, “Ryan is a breath of fresh air. I enjoy watching him.”
Ryan Long considers himself a ‘working guy’
Long battled COVID-19 in January 2021, at one point being hospitalized. When he realized he was no longer physically able to perform his job as a paratransit driver for SEPTA’s Customized Community Transportation program, the Philadelphia resident began driving for Uber and Lyft. He was thrilled when he got the call for Jeopardy!
“I’m not like a professional guy. I’m a working guy,” Long said, according to Jeopardy.com. “You just have to believe in yourself, lay it on the line and do it.”
Exhibiting a wide base of trivia knowledge throughout his winning streak, Long pointed out how a variety of topics can broaden your horizons.
“You go through life learning different things,” he noted. “Maybe the things that you are into are not the things that other people are into. And those things, they change you, and they make you think in different ways. I think they’re important… It’s just nice to have an outlet for them, finally.”
Though Long admitted to The Philadelphia Inquirer that he “didn’t study or anything — I probably should have perused something, but I just didn’t,” he continues to nail Jeopardy! clues while charming loyal viewers. His winnings currently total over $226,000.
“It’s been really surreal,” Long said. “It didn’t feel real until I saw myself on television, and I was like, ‘OK, so this is a thing that happened and it wasn’t a fever dream.’”
