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‘Jeopardy!’ champ Ryan Long to have his own float at the 6ABC Thanksgiving Day Parade

Philadelphia hasn’t seen the last of the 16-game "Jeopardy!" winner.

Philadelphia rideshare driver Ryan Long ended his "Jeopardy!" run at 16 games.
Philadelphia rideshare driver Ryan Long ended his "Jeopardy!" run at 16 games.Read moreSony Pictures Entertainment
    by Nick Vadala
    Updated 
    Published 

Jeopardy! champ Ryan Long may be out of the show’s Tournament of Champions, but Philly hasn’t seen the last of him — just wait until Thanksgiving.

Long, the Mount Airy native known for his 16-game winning streak on the show, will be on his own float for the 6ABC Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade. And he’ll have his 9-year-old son, Nathan, along for the ride down the Parkway.

6ABC’s Alicia Vitarelli gave the news to Long and his son in a segment that aired Saturday. Nathan, who called the parade his favorite part about Thanksgiving, was ecstatic.

“Wait, we’re going to be in the parade on a float?” Nathan said. “Oh my goodness, this is my greatest childhood dream.”

Long, who attended the annual parade as a child, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be in the event, and said he is looking forward to seeing Nathan’s reaction.

“I’ll be watching his face,” Long said. “It should be a good moment. I’ll be watching him and he’ll be watching Santa.”

News of Long’s parade appearance comes after the end of his Jeopardy! run. During the show’s regular season, he took home more than $300,000 before taxes on his winning streak, and was invited to compete in the show’s Tournament of Champions.

He competed in the first round of the quarterfinals on Oct. 31, and came in second behind Maureen O’Neil.

“Welp, I guess I won’t get to be part of Champ Season in Philly now,” Long tweeted after the episode aired. “But I have zero regrets. I got to live a dream and I am so lucky to have been able to do that.”

The Thanksgiving Day Parade is the latest local honor for Long, who received a model of the Liberty Bell from Mayor Jim Kenney at City Hall in September.

Long’s success on Jeopardy! came during a tumultuous time in his life. After a bout with COVID-19, he was forced to give up his job with SEPTA, and began working as a rideshare driver. Now, post Jeopardy!, his life has changed, he told The Inquirer over the summer.

“The money’s life-changing,” Long said. “It’s not like I’m set for life, but if I’m smart with it, I can definitely do some things. I’m very happy and very, very fortunate.”

6ABC will start its Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 24.