‘Jeopardy!’ Shares Heartwarming Video of JIT Contestants Backstage With Sam Buttrey

Brittany Sims February 6, 2026, 4:47 pm

'Jeopardy!' contestant Sam Buttrey (left), interviewing Drew Goins, 2026 JIT player (right) — Jeopardy!/Instagram

Jeopardy! began another tournament, and fan-favorite alum Sam Buttrey is back with another hilarious behind-the-scenes video. This time around, he interviewed the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament (JIT) contestants.

“Sam Buttrey and his tiny mic are taking on the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament. Watch to see what the players had to say about how they prepared and if they can give a ‘Bring It!’ Sam likes,” read the Jeopardy! Instagram caption on February 6.

“Hi Jeopardy! fans, it’s your favorite, or maybe top five former champion, San Buttrey here,” he said in the video. “I must be legit because they have me back at the JIT.”

Buttrey, 2021 Professor’s Tournament Winner, arrived at the backstage door. The security guard said his name wasn’t on the list, and when he delivered his iconic “bring it!” line, she still didn’t let him through.

“It’s invite only!” she told him. Contestants walked by him and went in the door, but didn’t admit to knowing him and walked right on by.

Buttrey decided to interview contestants who were outside and ask them their reactions when they got the invite. Four-game champion, Veronica Vichit-Vadakan, said, “Any day you get to play Jeopardy! is a great day.”

Will Yancey, Season 41 Champions Wildcard runner-up, said, “The fact that I get to play Jeopardy! again is just unbelievable.”

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Teacher Tournament Winner, Jennifer Giles, shared, “I never thought I’d get to play Jeopardy! again. I love it!”

Buttrey then asked some contestants how they have been preparing for the JIT. Long Nguyen, Season 40 Second Chance player, said he didn’t think he would be invited back, so he played pickleball instead of studying.

Mehal Shah, Season 41 Champions Wildcard winner, recently welcomed a second child with his wife. He shared that he had the baby strapped to his chest while preparing. “He tries to grab the buzzer out of my hand,” he said.

Roger Craig,2011 Tournament of Champions winner, shared that he prepared differently for the JIT because he knew the contestants going in.

Buttrey asked Matt Amodio, 2025 JIT winner, said that the Amodio Rodeo (his fanbase) would not win in a fight against the Buttheads (Buttrey’s fanbase) because the Buttheads are undefeated.

Drew Goins, Season 41 Second Chance Winner, said he is “goin’ to win the JIT.” The other contestants are gone,” he joked.

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Alison Betts, Season 421 five-game champion, called her children “harbingers of doom” and said they would not be in attendance during her JIT game(s). “I do plan to win. They are not here today,” she laughed.

Issac Hirsch shared that he recently got engaged and has been studying harder than ever. Drew Basile, seven-game champion, is ready to “out-buzz, out-respond, and outlast” the competition.

To mCubbage, 1998 College Champion Winner, said he is determined to get a trophy this time around because he was handed one when he won, but he never received it.

Other contestants such as Adriana Harmeyer, Andrew He, Karen Farrell, Eric Ahasic, Josh Hill, and more ended the video by giving their best “Bring it!”s to the camera.

‘My invitation must have gotten lost in the mail,” Buttrey said at the end of the video. See these contestants, and more, compete in the 2026 JIT this week.