ABC names Commanders QB Sam Hartman as lead of The Bachelor's 30th season

ABC announced Friday on Good Morning America that Sam Hartman, a quarterback on the Washington Commanders' practice squad, will star as the lead of the 30th season of The Bachelor, set to premiere in March 2027. The 27-year-old, who signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 2024, said he was at first reluctant to take part. Hartman has played in preseason and some regular-season games for the team over three seasons, and he is currently on its practice squad. The announcement came the day after the Commanders beat the New York Giants 24-21 on Thursday night.

Right-leaning Daily Mail and Washington Times lead with reaction and the team angle. The Daily Mail headlines fan shock and builds around Hartman's own words about his nerves and teammates' advice, while the Washington Times frames him as the show's headliner. Left-leaning Los Angeles Times takes a sarcastic tone, questioning whether he is a real NFL star and noting his limited regular-season play, and calls ABC's promotion overstated, a point the right-leaning pieces omit. Alternative ESPN and Yahoo Sports report the same casting, with Yahoo asking how a practice-squad player can also star. Both sides agree on the facts; they differ on whether the focus is Hartman's voice or his NFL credentials.