Overview
- ABC announced on Friday that 27‑year‑old Sam Hartman will lead Season 30 of The Bachelor, which premieres March 21, 2027 on ABC with episodes available to stream the next day on Hulu.
- Hartman is currently on the Washington Commanders practice squad, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2024, and has not yet appeared in an NFL regular‑season game.
- He built his profile at Wake Forest and Notre Dame, finishing his college career with ACC records for career touchdown passes and 300‑yard games and appearing in the documentary QB1: Beyond the Lights.
- Producers plan to film Hartman’s season after the NFL season concludes, a schedule that the network says should let him fulfill team duties but could shift if Washington makes a deep playoff run.
- The casting follows the franchise’s move to revive and reframe The Bachelor after a nearly two‑year hiatus and continues its history of choosing football players as leads, with host Jesse Palmer playing a role in persuading Hartman to accept.