Fans Just Crowned the Best ‘Survivor' Winner Ever-and Not Everyone Agrees
After months of a bracket-style tournament, Survivor fans have finally crowned the greatest winner in the show's history-but not everyone agrees with the final pick.
On Monday, May 25, Entertainment Weekly revealed that Todd Herzog, winner of Survivor: China, was voted as the best winner from all 50 seasons. In 2007, he defeated Courtney Yates and Amanda Kimmel in a 4-2-1 vote for the title of Sole Survivor.
"I started watching Survivor day one as a super fan myself. I studied the game. I went out there to represent the super fans. I took the title in China and I just wanted to make the fans proud," Herzog, 41, said in a thank-you video to fans.
"Anybody who loved Survivor: China and went out there and voted and represented it's truly an honor," he continued. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is really exciting. It means an awful lot because it's been 19 years since I played, but I am super proud of my game."
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Though Herzog is one of the more dominant winners in the show's history, some fans felt the honor should go to a winner who's played the game multiple times-like "Boston" Rob Mariano, Parvati Shallow, Kim Spradlin or Tony Vlachos.
"Boston Rob all the way. Only player who played a perfect game, in season 22. He controlled his tribe like a cult leader/mob boss," one fan wrote on X. "lol no way. Kim [Spradlin] One World. Hands down the best winner. Challenge Beast. Strategy Beast. Social Beast."
"Yeah no. Tony [Vlachos] is the best winner and it's not that close," added a third. "Todd was not the best winner ever. It's either Kim or Boston Rob. They both played perfect seasons! Both had total control of the game from Day 1."
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In the years following his Survivor win, Herzog publicly struggled with severe alcoholism which was documented on Dr. Phil from 2013 to 2016.
Thankfully, Herzog has been sober since 2017, and if he's willing-fans would like to see him join the ranks of two-time Survivor winners.
"Get this man back on Survivor. He's ready," wrote one fan. "I hope Survivor sees this & realizes there's passion, still almost 20 years later, for Todd and how we'd love to see him back. He should've been on Winners at War! He was sober for many years then, but if that was the concern, it's been 6 more years since and he's still sober. Put him on!" said another.
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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 4:19 PM.