Bachelorette Becca Kufrin had 28 guys to choose from on the premiere of the ABC dating show, but one of her guys looked very familiar to reality TV and sports fans. Colton Underwood turned up as one of Becca’s suitors, and he seems to have a bit of a past as a reality TV ladies man.
Many Bachelorette fans instantly recognized former football tight end Colton Underwood when he introduced himself to Becca during the limo meet and greet on the premiere of the rose-filled reality show. Colton, a football player who was on practice teams for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders before an injury cut his NFL career short, once dated Olympian and Dancing with the Stars alum Aly Raisman. Colton met Aly through his Raiders teammate Andrew East, the husband of Raisman’s pal, Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson.
Colton Underwood famously asked Raisman to go on a double date in a video invite, and they made their official red carpet debut as a couple in late 2016, but six months later they split. Raisman, who landed in fourth place on the 16th season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars , described Underwood as “a very thoughtful person” to People , but she later wrote some not-so-nice things about him in her 2017 tell-all book, Fierce: How Competing With Myself Changed Everything .
One year after his split from Raisman, Colton Underwood got some extended screen time on Becca Kufrin’s Bachelorette premiere. A peek at future episodes also shows 26-year-old Colton telling Becca that he is a virgin and waiting for the “right person.”
While Colton says he has only been in one serious relationship, he seems to have had several flings with women in the public eye. According to Life & Style magazine, in addition to Raisman, Underwood also has a past with Becca’s former Bachelor co-star Tia Booth after sliding into her DMs. Spoiler king Reality Steve reported that Booth and Underwood hooked up after he flew her to California and that Becca will find out about their brief relationship when Tia turns up on a group spa date alongside fellow Bachelor pals Caroline Lunny, Kendall Long, Bekah Martinez, and Seinne Fleming later this season.
Reality TV World also reported that Colton Underwood has also been romantically linked in the past to Chrisley Knows Best star, Savannah Chrisley. Colton certainly seems to have a thing for reality stars, and now he can add that title to his own resume.
It’s no surprise that Bachelor Nation went crazy over the hunky athlete’s latest love adventure on The Bachelorette. While some fans were supportive , Bachelor spoiler king Reality Steve and others questioned Colton’s reasons for going on The Bachelorette, where a runner-up is often cast in the high-profile role as the next Bachelor . Colton definitely has the rose pose down.
Some Bachelorette fans think Colton Underwood is trying to increase his Instagram following, while others think his ultimate goal is to be cast on The Bachelor or Bachelor in Paradise, where he’ll meet even more reality TV beauties.
You can see viewer reaction to Colton Underwood’s Bachelorette debut below.
Hey, it’s Colton. Mr Aly Raisman. Lets see how much increase he gets in his IG followers after this. You know, because…
— RealitySteve (@RealitySteve) May 29, 2018
Colton: “I don’t know much about Becca…” Maybe you could’ve asked her friend, Tia?
— RealitySteve (@RealitySteve) May 29, 2018
Okay Aly Raisman NEEDS to confirm or deny Colton’s virginity #TheBachelorette
— amanda (@friedsss) May 29, 2018
Can we get a statement from Aly & Tia on this … I call bull Colton #theBachelorette
— Kara Maxwell Kane (@karamaxkane) May 29, 2018
“So Colton what do you do?” *what he should’ve said: “well I dated Aly Raisman and then your BFF Tia but now I’m here in hopes of making it to Paradise” #TheBachelorette #BachelorInParadise
— Roems? (@Roems) May 29, 2018
You can see Colton Underwood talking to Bachelor alum Ashley Iaconetti about his journey on The Bachelorette below.
The Bachelorette airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
