Meet Your Bachelor Season 30 Lead Sam Hartman

The Bachelor is BACK! On November 13, Good Morning America announced the Season 30 lead, and he’s a big name in the world of football. Sam Hartman, the quarterback for the Washington Commanders, is officially your new Bachelor.

Sam is in the middle of football season, so he came straight to New York City from the Washington Commanders game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to make the announcement on November 13. The QB and his team won 24-21, and now he’s ready to win the game of love!

Sam opened up about his decision to be The Bachelor lead during his sit-down interview with GMA. “Honestly, at first, I was like, ‘No way.’ I just think the connotation of it. I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ And then, I got really lucky and talked to Jesse Palmer, and he kind of gave me the insight and gave me what it is, what it’s not,” he said. “And I think anybody in their right mind, if you get told, ‘Hey, you got a chance to go find the love of your life,’ and I know one thing, when people are saying ‘I do,’ they don’t ask you where you met, they just ask if you’re going to do it forever, and I don’t see any problem with that.”

The 27-year-old is used to playing football in front of thousands, but he’s “very nervous” about his search for love being aired on TV. “I have probably a tough time holding a conversation with one girl. Thirty is gonna be pretty tough. My teammates were there, giving me some advice on the plane ride back, so probably not gonna to listen to anybody on that. But no. I’m excited, but also very nervous,” he admitted.

Learn more about Sam Hartman, his family, his career, and more below.

Where is Sam Hartman from?

Sam was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 29, 1999. When he was a senior in high school, he moved to South Carolina to play football at Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

He then returned to his home state for college. Sam played football at Wake Forest University. For his final season, he transferred to Notre Dame. He’s played for the Washington Commanders since 2024.

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Is Sam Hartman still playing football while filming The Bachelor?

Sam’s schedule is about to be kicked up a notch. The quarterback is in the midst of the Washington Commanders ‘ 2026-2027 season. His last game before the post-season is January 10. Depending on the rest of the season, Sam and his team could be playing well into late January, and the Super Bowl is February 14.

The Bachelor seasons usually take a minimum of six weeks to film. ABC hasn’t announced the filming schedule for Season 30. Could Sam be looking for love in the middle of his NFL season? Or will the cameras start rolling as soon as his season ends? We’ll keep you updated as we know more. The Bachelor Season 30 will premiere on March 21, so the filming schedule might be a little tight this time around!

Who are Sam Hartman’s parents?

Sam is the youngest of Mark and Lisa Hartman’s three kids. Mark is an orthopedic spinal surgeon. His mother is a labor and delivery nurse.

Hartman said that his parents are “excited” about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him. “My mom and I have a really cool relationship, and my pops is obviously supportive,” he noted on GMA. “And their big thing is just be myself and enjoy the experience and trust the instinct and trust your gut. That’s what’s got me here so far.”

Does Sam Hartman have siblings?

Sam was born in 1999, and his oldest brother, Joe, was born in 1994. Joe is currently in residency at Vanderbilt University after going to medical school at the University of Florida.

During his GMA interview, he may have dropped a family spoiler! “My brother is about to get engaged,” Sam said. “Hopefully I didn’t just spoil that. Aww, shoot! No, I think they know it’s coming.” While Sam is getting ready to kick off his Bachelor journey, he doesn’t think he’ll be the first to wed in the family. “I think he’ll be first, but you never know. Crazier things have happened,” he told the GMA hosts.

The Hartmans welcomed Demitri Allison into their family when he was 15 years old. He became like a son to Mark and Lisa and a brother to Sam. Demitri played football at Elon University. Demitri died by suicide in 2015 at the age of 21.

“He may have had a different last name than me, and we may not have shared a bloodline, but he was a brother in every sense of the word,” Sam told Faith Driven Athlete. “And when you love someone like you love a brother, it hurts just as much not having him here anymore.”

What is Sam Hartman looking for in a wife?

“I think competitiveness, and we’re not talking about the starting tight end or a receiver,” Sam revealed. “I think competitiveness in somebody that I want to be able to chase. Not chase in a way that you haven’t texted me back in a week, but chase in a way that they have a drive for something, and that motivates me to wake up every day and chase them.”

The quarterback pointed out that his entire family is in the medicine field, so “compassion and some type of caregiving” is important to him. He revealed that the contestants need to “bring their competitive spirit” to The Bachelor. “I think we’ve got some really cool stuff planned,” Sam teased.

The Bachelor, Season 30 Premiere, March 21, ABC, Streams Next Day on Hulu