What happened: Sam Hartman's football background has drawn renewed attention following his selection as the lead for the 30th season of ABC's 'The Bachelor.' The quarterback, who played collegiately at Wake Forest and Notre Dame, was recently named next lead of 'the Bachelor' ahead of the show's spring run.

Why it matters: The television starring role places an active professional quarterback into an unprecedented entertainment spotlight during the offseason. Hartman remains on Washington's active roster as an NFL rookie while balancing upcoming promotional and production obligations. The dual profile marks a rare convergence of an active NFL career with mainstream reality programming.

What to watch: The 30th season of 'The Bachelor' premieres March 21 on ABC and Hulu. Washington continues its regular-season slate through the remainder of the 2026 campaign.