When Jeopardy! Masters hit the 2025 TV schedule final week, longtime followers have been stoked to see Brad Rutter — the most important winner in Jeopardy! historical past — return to the Alex Trebek Stage. After he turned down affords to look within the JIT for the previous couple of years, this was Rutter’s first time behind the rostrum since Ken Jennings beat him in 2020’s GOAT Event, and apparently we have now their fellow GOAT contestant James Holzhauer to thank for bringing these outdated rivals face-to-face.
The three finalists from final 12 months’s Masters — Victoria Groce, Yogesh Raut and James Holzhauer — have been among the many 9 invited to compete on the third season of the elite event on ABC (and streaming with a Hulu subscription). Nonetheless, a lot to my monumental dismay, Holzhauer was lacking from the lineup. As govt producer Michael Davies defined in a behind-the-scenes weblog:
James Holzhauer, the 2023 Jeopardy! Masters champion and final 12 months’s third-place finisher, declined our invitation to take part. Graciously, he really helpful that we attain out to the one that has received extra money enjoying Jeopardy! than any human (or laptop) alive: Ken’s rival of 20 years, Brad Rutter.
I had no concept it was truly James Holzhauer’s concept to get Brad Rutter to return out of his five-year hiatus, and I’m so grateful that he did. (In an ideal world, we’d have had them each, since they’ve Jeopardy! beef as properly, however I digress.)
Jeopardy! greats Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter have shared the stage a number of instances as opponents, together with when Rutter beat the would-be host within the 2005 Final Event of Champions, after they have been each beat by IBM’s Watson in 2011, when Rutter bested Jennings within the 2014’s Battle of the Many years, and when Workforce Brad beat Workforce Ken in Jeopardy! All-Star Video games in 2019. Michael Davies continued:
So, whenever you noticed that lighthearted change between Brad and Ken within the opening introductions — ‘I do know you’re delighted to see me, Ken’ — take into consideration what number of video games, years, and a long time went into the formation of that second. Even a supercomputer was concerned.
Whenever you take a look at what number of instances Brad Rutter has come out on high of Ken Jennings through the years, it’s no marvel Jennings has been ducking a GOAT rematch. Actually, it wasn’t till 2020’s Best of All Time Event that Jennings lastly obtained revenge on his richer however less-famous counterpart. He received the primary sport, changing into the primary human to ever beat Rutter, with James Holzhauer taking Recreation 2, then Jennings ending the best-of-3 sequence with victories in Video games 3 and 4.
I completely liked seeing these two come collectively once more, and you’ll inform Brad Rutter’s able to reignite the pleasant rivalry, as he gave Ken Jennings hell for citing the 2020 event and mentioned he deliberate to “make enjoyable of” the host a bit whereas he’s there.
It might have been Brad Rutter’s first sport in 5 years, however Michael Davies actually didn’t ease him again into the competitors upon his long-awaited return. Rutter was instantly pitted in opposition to final 12 months’s Masters champ Victoria Groce (full with inexperienced jacket) and runner-up Yogesh Raut. Rutter struggled on the buzzer, which isn’t actually a shock, and he completed in third place for no match factors.
I’m nonetheless glad to have him again on the Alex Trebek Stage, particularly reuniting with Ken Jennings. I do want James Holzhauer was there with them, however I’ll simply stay grateful that the sport present villain determined to make use of his powers (and his absence) for good this time round.
Jeopardy! Masters continues at 9 p.m. ET Wednesdays on ABC and streaming the following day on Hulu.