"I would not begrudge them" — Jeopardy! Masters star Isaac Hirsch says he’d understand not being invited back anytime soon

Jeopardy! Masters season 3 contestant Isaac Hirsch had a great run during the season, making it to the finals. Unfortunately, he failed to reach the top and finished in fourth place, behind winner Yogesh Raut and runner-ups Juveria Zaheer and Victoria Groce.

Two days after the finale, on June 6, Isaac shared an Instagram post featuring a photo of himself from the final moments of the episode. In the caption, the longtime Jeopardy! contestant reflected on his recent and overall franchise journey and addressed whether he would return for another competition season.

Isaac said he performed better in season 3 than he had expected before filming began. He originally thought he might finish fifth in the competition. However, exceeding his expectations and finishing in fourth place gave him a feeling of pure satisfaction.

The Jeopardy! Masters finalist also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, calling it a "rare privilege" to have played as many games as he did. With that in mind, he shared that he wouldn't "begrudge" the producers if they chose not to bring him back.

"I'm incredibly grateful to the folks over there for letting me play some more Jeopardy. It's a rare privilege to have played as many games as I have at this point, so I would not begrudge them if they didn't bring me back for a long, long while," he wrote in the caption.

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Jeopardy! Masters star Isaac Hirsch reflects on his season 3 journey

Jeopardy! Masters Season 3 finalist Isaac Hirsch began his caption by announcing that it was a “wrap” on the show. He then reflected on the season as a whole, stating that it offered something for everyone.

Isaac noted that people who lied to him got to watch him deliver a great performance and secure fourth place in the competition, taking home $100,000. Meanwhile, those who don't like him got to watch him struggle at multiple points during the show, getting outsmarted by much better contestants.

The finalist admitted that losing a bunch of games in "not-particularly-competitive fashion" wasn't the most fun he could have had on the stage. However, there were also some "good moments" in the tournament for him that kept him afloat throughout.

Furthermore, Isaac praised his fellow contestants and finalists for having a welcoming attitude while offering a fiery competition. He expressed his gratitude to the fans who supported him throughout the journey.

"It was a lot of fun to see the contestants I already knew again, and meet the ones I hadn't. Everyone was extremely nice and welcoming, and I'm thrilled for all three finalists, who are incredibly deserving and smart," he said.

The Jeopardy! Masters season 3 contestant continued:

"I'm also grateful for my support system through all of this. My family is the whole reason I was even able to go on Jeopardy in the first place. My friends have been endlessly patient and supportive through a year full of Jeopardy watching gatherings."

Later in the post, Isaac said thank you to his girlfriend Victoria, whom he referred to as his "biggest supporter." He shared that she accompanied him to the tapings and sat through so much in-studio Jeopardy! over the past year that she could practically help the producers make the show.

The Jeopardy! Masters finalist added that during his very first appearance, he had wagered his girlfriend’s birthday in Final Jeopardy. So, it felt especially meaningful to him that he made the same wager during his final appearance, bringing his journey full circle.

"I couldn't have done any of this without her, and I hope I have repaid her in some small part by talking about how much I love her in public. (Gross!) Until next time, whenever that may be!" he concluded.

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Jeopardy! Masters season 3 episodes are available on ABC.