Hold onto your roses, because the second season of “The Golden Bachelor” just got a whole lot more interesting. ABC has officially crowned 66-year-old “Mel Owens” as the next senior suitor in their hit spinoff reality series, and this isn’t your average hopeful romantic — this one’s packing a résumé that spans the NFL, law, and fatherhood.
Mel Owens isn’t just bringing charm and silver fox energy to “The Golden Bachelor”—he’s bringing “history”. A former linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams (1981–1989), Owens was a standout at the University of Michigan before going pro as the ninth overall draft pick.
After nearly a decade on the gridiron, he pivoted into law, building a successful career in sports injury litigation while raising his two sons as a single dad in Orange County.
But now? He’s stepping out of the courtroom and into the candlelit cocktail parties. According to ABC’s official announcement, Owens is on a mission to rediscover “the simple joys of companionship.” Translation? He’s ready to swap the playbook for pillow talk and fantasy suites.
If Mel’s journey sounds familiar, it’s because “The Golden Bachelor” made serious waves last year with Season 1 star “Gerry Turner”, who famously found love (briefly) with “Theresa Nist”. Their whirlwind romance ended with a televised wedding and, just three months later, a very public divorce. Between housing disputes and a heartbreaking cancer diagnosis for Turner, fans were left stunned.
But heartbreak aside, America “loved” watching older adults fall in love again. Season 1 was ABC’s most-watched unscripted series launch in five years, with record-breaking numbers on Hulu. Clearly, the appetite for romance at any age is stronger than ever.
This new season promises more romance, more drama, and maybe a little less tragedy (we hope). The franchise is expanding, too—”The Golden Bachelorette” premiered last year with “Joan Vassos”, another fan-favorite who ended up engaged in a Bora Bora proposal to “Charles “Chock” Chapple”. Although they’re not cohabitating yet, fans are rooting for their long-distance love.
As for the broader “Bachelor Nation”, there’s more on the horizon. ABC also revealed that “Bachelor in Paradise” will return—with former “Bachelorette” Hannah Brown joining Jesse Palmer and Wells Adams in Costa Rica.
So what makes Mel stand out in a sea of roses and slow dances? It’s not just the NFL career or the law degree—it’s the quiet resilience. The man rebuilt his life after a divorce, raised two sons, and buried his father. He’s looking for “real” connection—shared mornings, future plans, a partner in crime for the third act of life.
Whether he finds it or not, one thing’s for sure: “The Golden Bachelor” is back, and with Mel Owens in the spotlight, this season just might be a touchdown.
