ALEX BROWN
The rose ceremony is back, with a quarterback. ABC announced on Good Morning America on Friday, November 13 that Sam Hartman, a 27-year-old quarterback for the Washington Commanders, is the lead of The Bachelor Season 30. The relaunched series premieres Sunday, March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. on ABC, after two years without a new season of the flagship show.
Who is Sam Hartman?
- Age: 27
- Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
- College: Wake Forest and Notre Dame; Variety notes he set Atlantic Coast Conference records for career touchdown passes and 300-yard passing games
- NFL: signed with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2024; Yahoo reports he is currently on the practice squad
- TV experience: appeared in Season 2 of Netflix’s docuseries QB1: Beyond the Lights in 2019
The Commanders joined in on the fun, posting a photo of Hartman on the field on X with the caption “The next Bachelor.”
What Sam Hartman said on GMA
Hartman told Good Morning America he was excited but also nervous. He said he is looking for competitiveness in a partner, and also compassion, explaining that his family works in medicine and he has watched them do a lot for other people. He also joked that he has a tough time holding a conversation with just one woman, which could make juggling 30 a challenge.
The Bachelor Season 30 premiere date
Season 30 debuts Sunday, March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. on ABC. WKRG reports the season will film during the Commanders’ offseason, and Parade notes the production is running on an accelerated schedule. Jesse Palmer, a former NFL quarterback who was himself the Bachelor in Season 5, remains the franchise host. Yahoo reports Palmer gave Hartman advice on what the experience is and isn’t.
Why ABC is relaunching The Bachelor
The franchise has been quiet. The most recent season, starring Grant Ellis, aired from January to March 2025, and the last show from the franchise to air was Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 in summer 2025. Variety reports that a planned return of The Bachelorette was pulled from the air at the last minute amid a scandal involving its star, Taylor Frankie Paul, and her ex-boyfriend. Casting a pro athlete with a built-in fan base is a clear bid to get viewers back.
Not everyone was won over immediately. Past franchise stars teased Hartman in Instagram comments, all in good fun. For more TV and celebrity news from this week, see Taylor Swift’s CMA Awards return and Avril Lavigne’s baby announcement.
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Sources: Variety, Parade, UPI, Yahoo News, WKRG.