Sam Hartman: What to Know About the Bachelor’s New Lead for Season 30

A new kind of Bachelor

ABC has chosen Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman to lead The Bachelor’s upcoming 30th season. The show is set to air in March 2027. Hartman’s casting breaks with the franchise’s recent practice of selecting its Bachelor from past Bachelorette contestants. He said on Good Morning America that the prospect of talking with 30 women felt daunting.

Hartman’s football career

Hartman played college football at Notre Dame before the United Football League’s Birmingham Stallions drafted him in 2024. That year, he also joined the Commanders as an undrafted free agent.

He remains on Washington’s practice squad and serves as a backup quarterback. Hartman has not appeared in a regular-season NFL game.

Family and teammates respond

Hartman said his family supports his decision and encouraged him to be himself, enjoy the experience, and trust his instincts. He described his relationship with his mother as especially close.

His teammates offered advice during a plane ride, though Hartman joked that he probably would not follow it. He initially told ABC “no way,” he said, before speaking with host Jesse Palmer about what the show involves.

A path to finding love

Hartman is not the first football player connected to the franchise. Palmer, who has hosted since 2021, competed on season five after five NFL seasons; former players Mel Owens, Colton Underwood and Clayton Echard have also appeared in Bachelor Nation.