The Survivor 50 cast is closer than ever before to being revealed. There are many rumors floating around online about who is going to be back for the upcoming season. With the fan voting element being introduced in Survivor 48, fans have more interest in the season than ever, as well.
Well, one Survivor legend appears to be bowing out for Survivor 50, and that's Benjamin "Coach" Wade, also known as The Dragon Slayer.
Why Coach won't return for Survivor 50 in his own words
In a new video posted on Coach's Instagram, Coach reveals that he's asked about Survivor 50 every day by fans, but he mentioned that he doesn't have the motivation to go back on our screens that he once had.
We shared Coach's comments about Survivor 50:
"There's been a lot of talk about Survivor season 50, and I get messages every day. People ask me, 'Are you gonna go on season 50?' And, my response is always the same. What business do I have going on season 50? Why do I need to go back a fourth time? I feel like my legacy has been cemented during my three times. So, going back on your screen is not really motivation for me. I've got a family, I mean, like a family. my sons, my daughter, my beautiful, hot, smoking wife. I mean, you guys are crazy for me to leave all that kind of stuff. Just doesn't make sense."
In the video, there's dramatic music. There are pictures of Coach, his family, and his time on Survivor. It's a cool video. We'd expect nothing less from The Dragon Slayer.
It's obviously a bummer that Coach doesn't seem to be interested in playing Survivor again, but we can't blame him, obviously, nor do we deserve any more of his time than he wants to give the game, his fans, and the audience in general. He's captivated audiences during his three appearances on Survivor: Survivor: Tocantins (season 18), Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (season 20), and Survivor: South Pacific (season 23). In Tocantins and Heroes vs. Villains, Coach finished fifth and 11th, respectively.
Coach's best finish was the final time he played, Survivor: South Pacific, where he finished as runner-up to Sophie Clarke. Honestly, Coach nearly won that season. He was two votes away from taking home the win, losing on a 6-3 margin.
Those three seasons are some of my favorite seasons of Survivor, and Coach was a huge reason those seasons were so entertaining! I think a lot of fans will agree just how important Coach was to the three seasons, even though he didn't win.
Coach leaves an incredible legacy behind. He's one of the best Survivor players who never won. It would have been awesome to see him come out and give it one last go, but it's been 15 years since he played the game the last time. A lot has changed in the game, and a lot has changed for him personally.
I have to imagine, should Coach reconsider, that Jeff Probst and the gang would love to have him return for a fourth time in Survivor 50, but we'll just have to wait and see if that happens. For now, The Dragon Slayer is out.
Stay tuned for more news about the Survivor 50 cast.