Sam Hartman’s Washington Commanders teammates are already cheering for the practice squad quarterback as he prepares to (hopefully) find The One on The Bachelor.
“I think he’ll fit the role pretty well,” rookie linebacker Sonny Styles predicted in a Saturday, November 14, sideline interview at the Ohio State vs. Northwestern game. “He’s a good guy, so I’m excited to see him on TV.
Styles, 21, continued, “It’ll be fun.”
Styles was selected by the Commanders in the first round of this year’s April NFL draft, while Hartman, 27, previously signed with the team’s practice squad in 2024 as an undrafted free agent.
News broke on Friday, November 13, that Hartman would serve as the lead of The Bachelor for the hit reality series’ milestone 30th season.
“Honestly, at first I was like, ‘No way,’” Hartman said on Good Morning America on Friday of the initial casting offer. “I got really lucky and talked to Jesse Palmer and he kind of gave me the insight, what it is and what it’s not.”
Palmer, 48, is the current host and held the Bachelor title in 2004 amid his own NFL career.
“I think anybody in their right mind, if you get told, ‘Hey, you got a chance to go find the love of your life,’ [would say yes],” Hartman noted of his change of heart. “I’m excited but also very nervous.”
As Hartman prepares to search for his perfect match, he already has an idea of what qualities he’s looking for in a potential partner.
“[I’m a fan of the] chase in a way that they have a drive for something that motivates me to wake up every day and chase them,” he told the GMA anchors. “Also a part of that is compassion and some type of caregiving. My whole family is in the medical field … seeing them do so much for other people, I think that’s a huge part.”
Further details about Hartman’s season have yet to be revealed as of publication, but he’s expected to balance production with his NFL responsibilities.
“[Filming] schedule is still being worked out to accommodate the [Washington Commanders] schedule,” Hartman’s agent Brian McLaughlin told ESPN reporter Kalyn Kahler on Friday. “He did run it by the team and they understood.”
Until then, the Commanders and Bachelor Nation alike can’t wait to tune into Hartman’s rose-filled journey.
“I’m just thrilled. I couldn’t believe they went and got him,” Bachelorette alum Tyler Cameron said on Friday’s episode of the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast. “I mean, he’s in the middle of an NFL football season. You know what I’m thrilled about? We got a Bachelor who has a job, like, we got a great leading man who’s got a job. A great job, mind you, [and] he is Prince Charming.”
The Bachelor season 30 premieres on ABC Sunday, March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. ET.
