ABC announced Friday that Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman will star as the lead of Season 30 of “The Bachelor,” handing the long-running dating show its first active NFL player as a leading man. The network set the premiere for March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, according to USA Today.
Hartman, 27, is Washington’s fourth-string quarterback this season, sitting behind starter Jayden Daniels, backup Marcus Mariota and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis. He remains on the practice squad and has yet to appear in a regular season game since signing with the Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2024.
The Main Development: Hartman Confirmed As Bachelor Lead
The casting makes the Sam Hartman Bachelor Season 30 storyline the first new entry in the franchise since “Bachelor in Paradise” aired in summer 2025. ABC’s last full season of “The Bachelor” wrapped in 2025, when Grant Ellis left engaged to Juliana Pasquarosa. That engagement ended less than three months after the finale aired. A planned “Bachelorette” season starring Taylor Frankie Paul was scrapped days before its scheduled March 2026 premiere after Utah police revealed a domestic assault investigation, according to USA Today.
Hartman told “Good Morning America” he was initially hesitant about joining the franchise. “Honestly, at first, I was like no way … the connotation of it, I was like, I don’t know,” he said. He credited a conversation with current show host Jesse Palmer, the Season 5 Bachelor and a former Giants quarterback, for changing his mind. Hartman said Palmer gave him insight into what the show is and is not.
Hartman also addressed the pressure of the format itself. “I’m excited but also very nervous. I have a tough time holding conversation with one girl. 30 is going to be pretty tough,” he said on “Good Morning America.”
What It Means: An Unusual NFL Crossover
Hartman’s casting breaks from the franchise’s usual formula of promoting former contestants from “The Bachelorette” to lead roles, according to NFL.com. The NFL has brushed up against the franchise before, just not quite like this. Colton Underwood and Clayton Echard both had brief NFL stints on practice squads or in training camps before later becoming Bachelor leads after first appearing on “The Bachelorette.”
Mel Owens, who served as the “Golden Bachelor” lead for that spinoff’s second season, played linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams. Hartman is instead stepping directly into the lead role as a currently rostered NFL player, without first appearing on another show in the franchise.
Hartman’s Path To Washington
A Charlotte, North Carolina, native, Hartman built his college career across two programs. He played six seasons of college football from 2018 to 2023, appearing in 48 games at Wake Forest and serving as the Demon Deacons’ unquestioned starter from 2020 through 2022. He left Wake Forest with 110 passing touchdowns, nearly 13,000 passing yards, 41 interceptions and a 59.1% completion rate, per Sporting News.
Hartman transferred to Notre Dame for his final collegiate season in 2023, throwing for 2,689 yards and 24 touchdowns across 12 starts while leading the Fighting Irish to a 10-2 record, capped by a Sun Bowl win. He went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft before signing with the Commanders as a free agent.
What’s Next
Hartman said he is looking for a partner with ambition, compassion and caregiving instincts, pointing to his family’s background in the medical field, along with someone who shares his competitive drive, according to Bleacher Report. Season 30 of “The Bachelor” premieres March 21, 2027, on ABC, while Hartman continues his run on Washington’s practice squad as the team’s fourth-string quarterback behind Daniels, Mariota and Kaliakmanis.
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