NFL quarterback Sam Hartman is in search of The One on The Bachelor.
“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],” he said on Good Morning America in November 2026 of joining the storied reality TV franchise. “I know one thing: When people are saying ‘I do,’ they don’t ask where you met; they just ask if you wanna do it forever. I don’t see any problem with that.”
Hartman further revealed he nearly turned down the Bachelor mantle before a conversation with host Jesse Palmer changed his tune. (Palmer, a former NFL star himself, was the Bachelor in 2004 before taking over hosting duties in 2022.)
“I have a tough time having a conversation with one girl, [so] 30 is gonna be pretty tough. I’m excited but also very nervous,” the Washington Commanders quarterback admitted.
Keep scrolling to learn about Hartman’s past dating history before handing out roses:
Tyla Ochoa
Hartman confirmed on a 2024 episode of the “Unemployable” podcast that he had a girlfriend he met while at Wake Forest University. (Hartman played football for the North Carolina college before transferring to Notre Dame ahead of his NFL tenure.)
“I am not [single],” he stated at the time. “I have a girlfriend. She plays soccer at Wake Forest, and she’s awesome. She’s great. She’ll be down here for the draft. This is her last year. She’s got one more season left because she had a redshirt.”
Hartman never publicly addressed Ochoa by name. Since graduating from Wake Forest in 2024, Ochoa has stayed local in Charlotte. Per LinkedIn, she now serves as a senior business operations manager at DFND Security Inc.
Hartman and Ochoa reportedly went their separate ways in 2025, two years before his Bachelor debut.
What Is Sam Hartman Looking for in a Partner?
While discussing his Bachelor debut in November 2026, Hartman said he hoped to find a woman with a certain level of “competitiveness.”
“[I hope] they have a drive for something that motivates me to wake up every day and chase them,” Hartman said on GMA. “Also a part of that is compassion and some type of caregiving. My whole family is in the medicine field … seeing them do so much for other people, I think that’s a huge part.”
As for whether Hartman’s Bachelorettes will suit up on the gridiron, he teased, “They’re going to get tested for sure.”
“I think we got some really cool stuff planned,” he hinted. “They’ve got to be ready to bring their competitive spirit.”
