
Drew Goins made his return to Jeopardy! on the January 6 episode, much to the delight of fans. Having previously appeared in September 2024, Goins was back for a second chance, competing against Eugene and Jonquil Garrick Reynolds, both from Ottawa. His return marked his entry into the final week of the Jeopardy! Second Chance tournament, and it also gave him the opportunity for redemption over a memorable Taylor Swift-related question.
Goins, a journalist from Honolulu, came out strong in his second appearance, dominating the first two rounds of the game. He even scored his first Daily Double in the Historic History category, correctly answering the question: “The 1973 Arab-Israeli War occurred during these 2 periods, one Jewish & one Islamic, both of which involve fasting.” His correct response—“What are Ramadan and Yom Kippur?”—earned him praise.
However, during the interview segment with host Ken Jennings, Goins found himself stumped by a Taylor Swift question. Reflecting on his previous mistake, Goins joked, “I got a Taylor Swift question wrong. I went home worried that the Swifties would come rip me out of my bed one night, but it turns out the angry Swiftie was my brother, who’s here today.” He further revealed that his brother had prepared an entire practice board for him the night before the taping.
Fortune smiled on Goins, as he was given a redemption opportunity with a second chance at a Taylor Swift question. This time, the query was, “In 2014, Taylor Swift gave us this album named for a different year.” Goins confidently responded with, “What is 1989?” and the crowd erupted into applause when Jennings confirmed his answer was correct. It was a triumphant moment for Goins, who had the chance to make up for his earlier mistake and win the audience’s admiration.