Who Is Sam Hartman? Commanders Quarterback Named ‘The Bachelor’ Lead | Nov. 13, 2026

Checked: November 13, 2026, 12:06 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−05:00). Sam Hartman is a 27-year-old quarterback on the Washington Commanders’ practice squad and the newly announced lead of ABC’s The Bachelor Season 30. The casting announcement, made on Good Morning America on November 13, explains why searches for his name are suddenly crossing NFL and reality-TV audiences.

Hartman built his profile as a college quarterback at Wake Forest and Notre Dame, then entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2024. He has not appeared in an NFL regular-season game. ABC has scheduled his season of The Bachelor to premiere Sunday, March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time, according to its midseason schedule. The show has not yet aired, and no outcome of his dating journey is known.

Destaques

• Hartman is listed as a quarterback on Washington’s practice squad, not its active roster.
• He played four college seasons at Wake Forest and one at Notre Dame before going undrafted in 2024.
• ABC has named him the lead for Season 30 of The Bachelor.
• ABC’s schedule sets the premiere for March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time.

Why are people searching for Sam Hartman?

The immediate reason is the crossover between professional football and a major television franchise. The Commanders reported that Hartman was announced as the next star of The Bachelor during a Good Morning America appearance on Friday, November 13. He is an unusual lead because his public profile comes from football rather than from a previous season of the dating franchise.

That intersection can create two different kinds of searches. NFL fans may be looking up his team, position, college background, and playing history. Viewers arriving from ABC may want to know why a quarterback is leading a dating show and when the new season begins. The name connects the two audiences, but the television announcement does not change his NFL role: the Commanders’ roster page lists him on the practice squad.

Hartman said he was initially hesitant about joining the show and that a conversation with host Jesse Palmer helped him understand the opportunity. In the team’s report of the interview, he described himself as excited and nervous about meeting 30 women. That is his stated reaction, not evidence about how the season will unfold.

What is Sam Hartman’s NFL status?

Washington lists Hartman as a quarterback, No. 15, on its practice squad. The team announced his signing there on August 31, 2026, after releasing him in its roster-cut moves the previous day. These roster categories matter: a practice-squad listing is different from a place on the active 53-player roster, and the listing alone does not mean Hartman is scheduled to play in a game.

Hartman entered the league after going undrafted in 2024 and signed with Washington. He has not played in an NFL regular-season game, according to reporting on his announcement. He therefore has not yet recorded an NFL regular-season passing line. His college production is the more substantial statistical record available to readers searching his football background.

Where did Sam Hartman play college football?

Hartman played at Wake Forest from 2018 through 2022, then transferred to Notre Dame for the 2023 season. At Wake Forest, he became one of the most productive passers in the program’s history. The Commanders say he finished fourth in FBS history with 134 passing touchdowns and reached 14,000 career passing yards, accomplishments accumulated across his college career.

At Notre Dame, Hartman started all 12 regular-season games in 2023. The school’s official roster page credits him with 2,689 passing yards and notes that he was a team captain and a top-10 finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. That college résumé helps explain why his name is familiar to college-football followers, even though his professional regular-season experience remains at zero.

He also appeared in the football documentary series QB1: Beyond the Lights as a high-school player. That earlier screen appearance is a separate part of his media history; it was not part of The Bachelor franchise.

When does Sam Hartman’s season of The Bachelor premiere?

ABC’s official 2027 midseason schedule lists Season 30 for Sunday, March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time. On that date, the Eastern time zone observes Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC−04:00), while the Pacific time zone observes Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC−07:00). The listed time is the scheduled broadcast time in those U.S. zones; viewers should check local listings and ABC’s streaming information closer to the premiere.

The Commanders report that episodes will stream on Hulu the day after their ABC broadcast. The contestant lineup, episode-by-episode details, and the season’s final choice are future information as of this check. Search interest about Hartman’s casting is based on an announcement, while speculation about what happens on the show should not be presented as fact.

Sam Hartman: FAQs

Is Sam Hartman an active NFL quarterback?

He is a professional quarterback with the Washington Commanders, but the team currently lists him on its practice squad rather than its active roster.

Has Sam Hartman played in an NFL regular-season game?

No. As of November 13, 2026, he has not appeared in an NFL regular-season game.

When does The Bachelor Season 30 start?

ABC lists the premiere for Sunday, March 21, 2027, at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time.

Sources: Washington Commanders report on Hartman’s Bachelor announcement; Washington Commanders roster; ABC’s 2027 midseason schedule; Notre Dame’s official Sam Hartman roster profile.