{
  "id": 19870091,
  "title": "Sports World Swoops In on Sam Hartman’s ‘Bachelor’ Season",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/sports-world-swoops-in-on-sam-hartmans-bachelor-season",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-13T21:30:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Front Office Sports",
    "slug": "front-office-sports",
    "url": "https://frontofficesports.com/article/sports-world-swoops-in-on-sam-hartman-bachelor-season/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The sports world has expressed enthusiasm over the news that practice squad quarterback Sam Hartman from the Commanders will star in the 30th season of ABC's The Bachelor. Following the announcement, which aired on Good Morning America, the NFL, the Commanders, and ESPN all shared celebratory posts on Instagram and TikTok. The NFL's Instagram post of Hartman running the 40-yard dash garnered over a million views within a few hours. The Commanders and ESPN's photos received over 400,000 likes in the same time frame. The long-running reality TV series could use some football talent after its recent season was canceled due to domestic abuse allegations. Hartman, who is currently fifth on the depth chart, is reportedly set to begin filming in January and premiere on March 21. While the Commanders have not confirmed if he will step away from his team duties or if the organization will continue to promote his participation, ESPN and the NFL have not yet provided details on their promotional plans. The NFL has a history of promoting players' personal lives, including a campaign in August aimed at reaching female fans by featuring viral videos of quarterbacks spending time with their significant others at training camp. There is a strong connection between The Bachelor and sports, particularly football, as ABC and ESPN are owned by Disney, and two other NFL players have previously served as the show's lead. Hartman expressed initial hesitation about participating but changed his mind after consulting with former NFL player Jesse Palmer, who hosted The Bachelor. Hartman suggested that viewers can expect some football-related elements in his season, such as testing female contestants with his passing skills. The 27-year-old North Carolina native, who signed with the Commanders as an undrafted free agent in April 2024, played for Wake Forest, where two other former stars, Matt James and Tyler Cameron, have also participated in The Bachelor.",
  "summary": "The Commanders' practice squad quarterback will star in the show’s 30th season.",
  "key_points": [
    "Sam Hartman, Commanders' practice QB, chosen for The Bachelor's 30th season.",
    "NFL, Commanders, and ESPN celebrated Hartman's participation on social media.",
    "Hartman set to film in January, premiere on March 21, with possible football elements."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}