Kirk Bryant is 1st ever DI football coach on ‘The Bachelorette’
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (BVM) – Kirk Bryant, the Texas Tech Red Raiders senior offensive analyst, made history during the Season 19 premiere of “The Bachelorette.” The college football coach’s appearance as a contestant marks the first time a Division I coach has ever appeared on the hit ABC dating show.
Filming began back on March 26 of this year while Texas Tech began spring football practice on March 22. Contestants filmed around the clock and filming for the finale wrapped in mid-May, but rumors haven’t caught onto exactly how far Bryant made it on the elimination-style show.
Procedures and rules for contestants are strict. They’re prevented from accessing their phones and the internet even for work purposes and can’t leave the Bachelor Mansion unless they self-eliminate. Fortunately for Bryant, he was still able to film at the mansion in California after getting the green light from Texas Tech Athletics.
“We are going to get shirts, we’re going to have an office watch party, we might have an office bracket,” Texas Tech head football coach Joey McGuire said at a press conference while Bryant was off filming. “Kirk is the brand, and I told him if he doesn’t get a rose, that he might need to not come back to West Texas.”
McGuire and Bryant most definitely had a busy night between watching the show and consuming some big-time football news. During the July 11 premier of “The Bachelorette,” Texas Tech announced its plans to invest $200 million into building the largest football facility in college football. Although Bryant didn’t live tweet about his journey on the show, he did show his social media presence in retweeting what other big players were saying about one of the biggest investments in college football history.
Big things happening in LBK!! Let’s go! #WreckEm https://t.co/VDjRRJunfV
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) July 12, 2022
Aside from a busy night in Texas Tech football news, the night was still young for Bryant’s reality TV show debut. Bryant, 29, made his first appearance on screen when he exited the limo to introduce himself to the bachelorettes – Gabby Windey (ICU nurse from Denver, 31) and Rachel Recchia (pilot from Florida, 26).
“You got to give it everything you got, because this right here is our time. So let’s go out and take it,” Bryant said in a motivational tone.
The leading ladies seemed to be impressed by his pep talk as a first impression. They were all smiles and laughs as they looked onto Bryant who was full of energy. Although Bryant’s full entrance out of the limo and into the mansion didn’t air, the full video of what did air of Bryant can be seen here:
Kirk Bryant on The Bachelorette pic.twitter.com/owOCkwubcg
— Jessica Martinez (@Jessica75897817) July 12, 2022
The night moved quickly and at the end of the episode, Bryant didn’t receive a rose, however, he’s still moving onto next week. The bachelorettes — in a bold move — canceled the rose ceremony because they didn’t have enough time to talk to all 32 men in one night. Bryant was one of the men who didn’t get a chance to talk to the ladies so, chances are, fans can see that next week if producers choose to edit it in that way.
Although fans haven’t seen much interaction with him and the leading ladies, chances are he’ll take a liking to Gabby. She’s been in the football realm as a former Denver Broncos cheerleader and she’s stated that she’s an independent woman. Bryant’s profile on ABC notes that he works seven days a week during the several-month long college football season, so he’s looking for an independent woman who will be understanding of that.
Even if he does take a liking to Rachel as well, he already made it clear on episode one that, “Before I kiss one of them, I have to figure out which one I like because I’m not going to play with them.”
Although football fans may want to turn away if he does kiss anyone, Bachelor Nation fans and fans of college football are taking a liking to the collision of both worlds. A photo he posted on June 8 about being on show is his most liked/commented photo by a landslide. He’s currently up nearly 1,000 followers on Instagram from his 3,535 that he previously had at 9 a.m. CT on the morning of the premier.
Bryant’s journey in looking for love on “The Bachelorette” under the Monday night lights continues in Episode 2 next week at 8/7c.
EDITOR’S UPDATE
How far has Kirk Bryant made it on “The Bachelorette”?
In Episode 2 (aired July 18), Kirk Bryant received a few seconds of screen time. He competed in the pageant, where contestants were expected to answer questions and show off a talent while only wearing their speedos. Football fans and players won’t be feeling any second-hand embarrassment though considering that ABC didn’t air his part.
At the end of the episode — during the first rose ceremony of the season — the Red Raiders coach received a red rose from both leading ladies, but he has yet to make a significant connection with either bachelorette. Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire retweeted about Bryant’s journey in what was yet another big night of news for Texas Tech football.
To read about Kirk Bryant in Episode 3 (aired July 25), click here.
