THE GOLDEN BACHELOR – ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor” stars Mel Owens.
Disney/Maarten de Boer
Mel Owens is officially the second-ever Golden Bachelor, with his journey to find love beginning Wednesday, Sept. 24, on ABC. As you tune in, you may be curious to learn more about the show’s leading man, from his hometown and relationship history to what he’s seeking in a partner.
In April, ABC revealed that Owens, the NFL star-turned-sports lawyer, would be the new Golden Bachelor, following in the footsteps of Gerry Turner, who led the show’s inaugural season in 2023. Host Jesse Palmer explained why Owens was selected to star in the successful dating spinoff, which focuses on seniors finding love.
“Mel is obviously super handsome. He’s very charming, he’s very intelligent, he’s very successful,” Palmer told Us Weekly after the announcement. “He had this incredible pro football career and transitioned into becoming a successful warrior. I think while he’s had a lot of success professionally, there have been some hills and valleys in his personal life.”
The father of two is looking for a love “rooted in the simple joys of companionship,” according to ABC, and someone to share “life’s everyday moments, making plans for the future, and growing stronger together as a couple.”
Will he find his perfect match on the show? With 23 golden women vying for his heart, here’s everything you need to know about Owens before his debut as The Golden Bachelor.
He Was Born And Raised In Michigan
Mel Owens’ birth date is December 7, 1958, making Season 2’s Golden Bachelor 66 years old. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. According to his ABC bio, he grew up in a close-knit Midwestern family, and his “athleticism shone through from an early age.”
He Was An NFL Player Before Becoming A Lawyer
CANTON, OH – JULY 30: Linebacker Mel Owens #58 of the Los Angeles Rams looks on from the sideline during a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Fawcett Stadium at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 30, 1988 in Canton, Ohio. The Bengals defeated the Rams 14-7. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The Golden Bachelor star attended the University of Michigan, where he played college football for the Michigan Wolverines. Following graduation, the Los Angeles Rams selected him as the ninth overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.
Following his successful nine-year career with the LA Rams, he retired and relocated to Orange County, Calif., where he began practicing law with a specialty in sports injuries.
He is currently a partner and attorney at Namanny, Byrne & Owens, a law firm dedicated to protecting players’ rights to receive Workers’ Compensation. In an interview with the South Florida Tribune, Owens said that his sports-related work as a lawyer helps him feel “connected to the game.”
He Was Married To His First Love
From 2002 to 2020, Owens was married to his “first love,” Fabiana Pimentel. His ex-wife filed for divorce in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences, according to court documents obtained by Us Weekly. Their divorce was finalized in December 2023.
“It was a long marriage, and it just didn’t work out,” Owens told USA Today. “I still wish her well. And I love being married.”
Pimentel, who is 19 years younger than Mel, had some concerning words to say about her ex-husband’s involvement on the dating show. “Good luck. I mean, it’s going to be bad,” she told Daily Mail in July. “But anyway, I don’t want to be involved in this.”
According to her LinkedIn profile, Fabiana is currently the Director of Experiences at Preferred Hotels & Resorts. She also previously worked part-time for Owens’s law firm from May 2007 to May 2016.
He Has Two Sons
Mel Owens at the Disney 2025 Upfront Red Carpet held at North Javits Center on May 13, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images)
Variety via Getty Images
Owens and Pimentel had two sons during their marriage. They welcomed their first son, Lucas, in 2005, followed by their second son, Andre, in 2007. After their divorce, they agreed to joint custody of their children.
After his marriage ended and he tragically lost his father, Owens “channeled his energy into being the best father he could be, focusing on raising his sons and coaching their extracurricular sports teams,” according to ABC.
Jesse told US Weekly that he had a chance to visit Owens with his sons and described their relationship as “really a unique and special bond to watch.” The host continued, “I think he’s in this unique time now where he can finally focus a little bit more on it himself. His kids are getting ready to go off to college, and I think he really wants to find a special person.”
At Disney’s Get Real Event, Owens revealed that both of his sons plan to play baseball in college. He also mentioned that his youngest son was partially responsible for his casting as the show’s lead.
“We were watching the regular Bachelor earlier on. He goes, ‘Yeah, Dad, you should be the Bachelor,'” Owens recalled, per People. “The ad came out for [The Golden Bachelor]. He goes, ‘But you should be the real one though.'”
Owen’s son also told him that he wants to be standing next to his father when the women come out. “I go, ‘Maybe if I get it, maybe I’ll pitch it to him,'” Owens said.
He Faced Controversy Over Comments About “Cutting” Women Over 60
In June, Owens came under fire for stating on his alma mater’s sports podcast, In the Trenches, that he would “cut” women “if they’re 60 or over.” He also mentioned to the podcast’s host that he told the producers to “try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, you know, that kind of stuff.”
He opened up about the controversy and apologized for his comments in a lengthy interview with Glamour. “Those [opinions and comments] were a mistake by me. It’s unfair. It’s insensitive, like I said. And I want to earn it back. I have to earn it back every single moment that I’m on the show,” he explained to the site.
Owens also revealed that he apologized to the women on the show, something he addressed early on in the season.
“I apologized to the women on the show. When I first walked in, I addressed it. I apologized to them. I said, ‘It was unfair, insensitive. I want to earn it back. Just give me the chance.’ And hopefully, these last two weeks I earned some of that back.”
He added that several women discussed these comments with him, particularly during their one-on-one conversations.
“Yeah, during our one-on-ones, 12 or 15 of them said, ‘We appreciate the apology, and it meant a lot to us.’ And they also had a roast. One of the dates was a roast. It was brutal. They were killing me,” he said.
He’s Looking To Find His “Perfect Teammate”
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR – “201/202” – Mel Owens
(Disney/John Fleeno
Owens is on the search for someone to be the “perfect teammate he’s been waiting for in his golden years,” according to ABC.
In an interview with USA Today, Owens shared that while he’s not necessarily seeking marriage, he hopes to find new love.
“Love is a good thing, it fills your heart, it makes you feel better, and it gives you a purpose,” Owens, who described himself as a romantic, said. “I liked being in love. That’s the ultimate goal.”
He doesn’t have one “perfect date” in mind, though he enjoys traveling. He also values simple everyday moments with someone. “Then there’s just being at home, relaxing, maybe watching TV or reading or doing nothing. There are a lot of perfect moments. It’s what mood that strikes.”
He teased that during his season, “there’s ups and downs, twists and turns.” He went on, “It’s like, whoa, I can’t even believe what just happened. This is an adventure.”
The Golden Bachelor Season 2 premieres with a two-hour episode on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. New episodes will be available to stream the following day on Hulu.