Ole Miss football’s Jonathan Hess set for ‘The Bachelorette’
OXFORD, Miss. (BVM) – Jonathan Hess, a former Ole Miss Rebels tight end (2018-22) and current recruiting analyst for Lane Kiffin’s coaching staff, is expected to appear on Season 21 of “The Bachelorette.”
Former Ole Miss TE and current recruiting assistant Jonathan Hess was announced this morning as one of the potential suitors on this upcoming season of the bachelorette… HC Lane Kiffin thinks he’s in with a shot! https://t.co/tqcfBdj0Zu pic.twitter.com/iG5WvbmU4t
— Rachel Phillips (@rachphillipstv) March 26, 2024
A photo of Hess was posted on the reality TV show’s official social media with the caption, “We’re giving you a sneak peek at the men who may be on this season.” In essence, Hess was selected for the show but still had the chance to withdraw before filming began.
“Hess was really excited about it,” Ole Miss HC Kiffin said during a spring football conference. “Actually, Landry, my daughter, had something to do with how they wrote into his thing (submission video for “The Bachelorette”) that they turn in.”
Bachelorette contestants are filmed around the clock for weeks and are prevented from accessing their phones even for work purposes. It’s clear that Hess received the green light from Kiffin to temporarily leave his work duties in Mississippi and film the show in California.
Filming has already begun, and there has been no evidence that he didn’t make it to “The Bachelorette” mansion. At 24, Hess could be one of dozens of men vying for the heart of 26-year-old Jenn Tran – the franchise’s first-ever Asian American lead.
Hess himself is making history as the first former Ole Miss player to be cast on “The Bachelorette.” However, he certainly isn’t the first former SEC football player to be on the show. Perhaps he’ll find TV success as former SEC quarterbacks Jesse Palmer and Jordan Rodgers (brother of Aaron Rodgers) did.
“[The Bachelor franchise] is like, ‘Here’s 25 people and they all fall in love with the same [person],’” Kiffin said during a spring football conference. “Well, that would never happen, but it’s on TV so they want to win and get to the finals so they become famous.”
Hess also isn’t the first D-I football coach to appear on “The Bachelorette.” Many can recall that Texas Tech Red Raiders senior offensive analyst Kirk Bryant appeared on the show in 2022. But, hopefully, Hess will make it much further than Bryant did.
“I feel like if he can make it and get some momentum going and get past the beginning to where people see a lot of them, he’s got a chance because of his personality,” Kiffin said during a spring football conference. “They asked me this morning in the QB meeting like what would [he need to do] and I said, ‘Just his Hess-isms. It’s just Hess.’ But I think they’re going to need enough time to see that come out.”
Hess’ journey under the Monday night lights is expected to unfold when Season 21 of “The Bachelorette” premieres in July 2024. More than likely, Hess’ first-night impression will involve a football or even a fire extinguisher.
For the NFL > college football crowd: I’ll have you know that Ole Miss tight end Jonathan Hess would’ve picked up a taunting penalty in the league for blowing a celebratory fire extinguisher on the sidelines pic.twitter.com/tf2uzwJSa3
— Simon Gibbs (@SimonGibbs26) October 17, 2021
