Jeopardy! contestant Drew Goins may have ruffled a few feathers among Taylor Swift fans when he first appeared on the show in September 2024, but he quickly won them back in his latest return during the Second Chance Tournament.
The Hawaii-based journalist became a fan favorite, but it wasn’t until his second appearance that he had the opportunity to redeem himself after a disappointing slip-up concerning a Taylor Swift album clue.
The Taylor Swift misstep
During Goins‘ initial Jeopardy! appearance, a category about Grammy winners for Album of the Year featured a clue about Swift’s historic win for her 2010 album. The $800 question read, “The first of Taylor Swift’s record 4 [album of the year] Grammys was for this album in 2010.”
Goins, unfortunately, couldn’t recall the answer, “Fearless”. A flustered Goins could only shake his head in disbelief at his mistake.
That moment caused a stir among Swift’s dedicated fanbase, with many fans voicing their displeasure. Goins didn’t just miss out on the $800 clue, but he also fell short in the game and was sent home from the TV game show, leaving behind a trail of angry Swifties.
Swiftie redemption
When Goins returned to Jeopardy! in January 2025 for the Second Chance Tournament, host Ken Jennings couldn’t resist addressing the viral moment.
He discussed Goins’ “run-in with some angry Swifties” and asked about the fallout.
“I got a Taylor Swift question wrong, 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,” Goins responded.
Goins explained that his brother, Zach, had taken matters into his own hands, preparing a Taylor Swift-themed practice board to make sure Drew wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
“The night before taping, he had prepared an entire practice board for me,” Goins said, although he admitted that the board “was entirely Taylor Swift.”
With his brother’s Swift knowledge fresh in his mind, Goins had his chance to redeem himself – and it came swiftly. In a new episode of the Second Chance Tournament, another Taylor Swift-related clue appeared: “In 2014 Taylor Swift gave us this album named for a different year.” Goins, eager to prove himself, rang in confidently and answered: “What is 1989?”
The audience cheered, and Jennings confirmed, “Redemption for Drew! That is correct.” Goins not only redeemed himself with the correct answer, but also added $200 to his score and went on to win the game.