ABC Names Sam Hartman Lead of The Bachelor Season 30

ABC has named Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman as the lead of The Bachelor’s 30th season, which is scheduled to premiere March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. ET. The announcement was made on Good Morning America on Friday, November 13, 2026. The season will air on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu, according to the announcement reports.

Hartman, 27, said in an interview that he was excited about the role but nervous about speaking with 30 women. He joked that holding a conversation with one woman could be difficult, and that 30 would be a challenge. His casting makes him a professional football player taking the lead of the reality dating series.

Hartman is a quarterback in the Commanders organization and signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2024. His roster status has changed: reports say he was cut from the active roster in August and then re-signed to the practice squad. Other accounts describe him as currently on the practice squad without detailing that sequence.

Before joining the NFL, Hartman played college football at Wake Forest and Notre Dame. He set Atlantic Coast Conference records for career touchdown passes and 300-yard passing games, according to...