Colton Underwood

Colton Underwood has transitioned from professional football player to a prominent reality television personality and LGBTQ+ advocate, sharing his journey of self-discovery and inspiring conversations around authenticity. After playing defensive end for Illinois State from 2010 to 2013, Colton Underwood signed with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He subsequently joined the practice squads for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014 and the Oakland Raiders in 2015, concluding his professional football career in 2016. Underwood then made his reality television debut, appearing on the 14th season of ABC’s ‘The Bachelorette’ in 2018, followed by a run on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 5 the same year.

Underwood’s profile significantly rose when he was announced as the lead for the 23rd season of ABC’s ‘The Bachelor,’ which aired in 2019. This landmark season garnered widespread attention and positioned him as a household name. In 2021, Underwood made headlines by publicly coming out as gay on ‘Good Morning America,’ becoming the first lead in the Bachelor franchise to do so. This pivotal moment led to his unscripted Netflix series, ‘Coming Out Colton,’ which premiered in December 2021, documenting his journey and sparking important conversations around authenticity.

The foundation is dedicated to supporting cystic fibrosis research and providing medical equipment, with its 2018 Legacy Project specifically aiming to deliver AffloVests to children nationwide. Underwood is scheduled to appear in Season 4 of Peacock’s ‘The Traitors’ in 2026, further solidifying his diverse reality television portfolio. In 2023, he married Jordan C. Brown, and in 2024, they welcomed their son, Bishop, via surrogacy.

These milestones have added to his public narrative as an LGBTQ+ advocate, continuing to inspire conversations on self-discovery and authenticity across various platforms.