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A former NFL player will be handing out roses instead of stopping passes on the next season of The Golden Bachelor.
Mel Owens has been tapped to be season two's Golden Bachelor, ABC and Hulu announced. Owens' season will be the third in the Golden Bachelor franchise, following Gerry Turner as the pioneer of The Golden Bachelor series in 2023 and Joan Vassos as the first Golden Bachelorette last year.
Prior to trying out reality TV for size, Owens is a University of Michigan alum and later became a linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams after being the ninth overall pick in the 1981 Draft. After retiring from football in 1991 after facing an injury, he decided to pursue a career in law. Sports is still a part of his life, just in a different way, as the former Rams player helps athletes with sports-related injuries and workers' compensation in Orange County, California.
As for his personal life, Owens was previously married and has two sons with his ex-wife.
“After several years as a devoted dad, Owens is ready to rediscover a love rooted in the simple joys of companionship – sharing life’s everyday moments, making plans for the future, and growing stronger together as a couple,” ABC's press release says. “As the Golden Bachelor, he’s eager to meet someone who shares this vision and finally find that perfect teammate he’s been waiting for in his golden years.”
Jesse Palmer, who served as the fifth Bachelor in 2004, is also slated to host this season of The Golden Bachelor. Palmer previously hosted both The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette series and remains a host for The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Like Owens, Palmer also has a football background and played college football for the Florida Gators and had a brief stint in the NFL on the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.
Palmer spoke highly of Owens and shared that the many ups-and-downs of his personal life can be something that resonates with the Bachelor audience.
“He's an excellent choice to be our next ‘Golden Bachelor.' He's handsome and he's charming. He's been really successful professionally, very intelligent,” Palmer told USA Today. “But he's also very genuine, and he's a family man.”
“While he's had a lot of success professionally, he has had a lot of ups and downs personally with the tragic passing of his dad; he (also) went through a divorce,” Palmer added. “You find out a lot about people when they go through tough times. He really showed his character. He made the decision to really be a dad and take care of his sons.”
The release date for The Golden Bachelor will be “announced at a later date,” ABC says.
