ABC is putting an NFL quarterback at the center of its next season of “The Bachelor,” and the choice comes with a familiar football name. Washington Commanders backup Sam Hartman was announced Friday as the show’s new lead.
Hartman made the reveal on “Good Morning America” after Washington’s 24-21 win over the New York Giants on Thursday night kept the Commanders’ season alive. He is currently on the Commanders’ practice squad.
The 27-year-old said he wasn’t immediately sold when the opportunity first came up. But after talking with Jesse Palmer - the former Giants quarterback who now hosts the franchise and once starred on it himself - Hartman said he got enough “insight” to say yes.
“I know one thing: when people are saying, ‘I do,’ they don’t ask you where you met,” Hartman said. “They just ask if you want to do it forever.”
He also said his teammates had plenty of advice for him about the show, though he wasn’t about to repeat any of it on television.
Hartman’s path to this point runs through six seasons of college football. He spent five years at Wake Forest and one at Notre Dame before signing with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 2024.
At Wake Forest, he led the ACC with 38 passing touchdowns in 2022 and finished his time there with 110 touchdown passes and 12,967 yards. He then added 24 touchdowns and 2,689 yards at Notre Dame in 2023, helping the Fighting Irish beat Oregon State in the Sun Bowl.
On Washington’s roster, Hartman sits No. 5 on the quarterback depth chart. He has appeared in preseason action, but he has never played in a regular-season game.
Hartman joins Palmer and former Oakland Raiders practice squad member Colton Underwood as NFL players who have gone on to become “The Bachelor.” His season is set to premiere on March 21.
In Other News...
Luke McCaffrey Spotted A Giants Loophole The Commanders Needed
Luke McCaffrey gave the Commanders a little hidden value on special teams in the game against the Giants, and Dan Quinn noticed. On a kickoff sequence that could have been easy to overlook, McCaffrey recognized the ball was headed for a situation the NFL rules treat differently once it goes out of bounds, and he handled it in a way that helped Washington avoid a worse starting spot.
Instead of letting the moment turn into a routine dead-ball reset, McCaffreys awareness helped set the Commanders up at the 40-yard line. It was the kind of smart, situational play coaches love because it comes from understanding the fine print, and it gave Washington an extra edge in a game where every field-position advantage matters. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Rookie Sparks Concern After Strange Sideline Moment Vs Commanders
A strange sideline scene briefly stole attention from the Giants-Commanders matchup in Week 10 when rookie Cam Skattebo was seen vomiting during the game. Sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung noted the moment, and the broadcast booth of Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit also addressed it as medical staff checked on him.
Skattebo appeared to be fine afterward, and the episode did not keep him from staying involved in the game. He later found the end zone in the second quarter, turning an odd and concerning moment into just another footnote in a matchup that already had enough going on. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Win Is Fueling A Brutal Giants Postgame Debate
The Giants 24-21 loss to Washington in Week 10 has lingered well past the final whistle because of what happened on the games last two throws. Head coach John Harbaugh pointed to the defensive look Washington showed, saying the Commanders came with zero blitzes and left routes that were supposed to be available. It was the kind of late-game sequence that usually gets replayed, dissected and second-guessed, especially in a one-score finish.
J.J. McCarthy did not try to dodge the moment afterward. He took responsibility for the interception on the final possession and said he could have handled the situation differently. For Washington, the win is another line in the standings, but for the Giants it has turned into a fresh debate about execution, decision-making and whether the offense read the moment the way it needed to. [Read more 🡒]