Sam Hartman, a 27-year-old quarterback for the Washington Commanders, has been named the next lead of ABC's "The Bachelor," the network announced on Friday, November 13, during an appearance on "Good Morning America." The milestone 30th season of the reality dating series is scheduled to premiere Sunday, March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, with episodes streaming the following day on Hulu.
"I'm excited but also very nervous," Hartman said on "Good Morning America." "I have a tough time holding a conversation with one girl. Thirty is going to be pretty tough." ABC said the 27-year-old pro athlete "is ready to find his forever teammate."
Hartman said he initially turned the role down. "Honestly, at first, I was like, 'No way,'" he told GMA. A conversation with host Jesse Palmer changed his mind, he said. Palmer starred on season 5 of "The Bachelor" and has hosted the franchise since Chris Harrison's exit in 2021.
Hartman, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, played four seasons of college football at Wake Forest before a season at Notre Dame, where he set Atlantic Coast Conference passing records. He signed with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and has spent his career on the practice squad, waived or released four times and brought back each time. He has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game.
The announcement came hours after the Commanders' 24-21 win over the New York Giants on Thursday night. Season 30 will be the first new season of "The Bachelor" in nearly two years, after Grant Ellis's season 29 aired in 2025.
