• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, September 24, 2025

An ex-Ram in his golden years will try to find a mate from a group of 23 eligible bachelorettes as ABC attempts to strike gold again with Season 2 of “The Golden Bachelor.”

The lucky senior single is Mel Owens, 66, one-time linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams (1981-89). 

He’ll be looking to tackle his new draft pick starting Wednesday night on ABC from a gaggle of golden gals ranging in age from 58 to 77.   

The latter is 77-year-old Andra (no last names provided), described as a retired federal worker from Los Angeles. The former is 58-year-old Maia, a college sports consultant from Malibu, California.

Ladies from in or around Southern California might have an edge since Owens lives in Orange County, where he has practiced law since retiring from the NFL.

Indeed, Owens (above photo) was a college football star at the University of Michigan, playing in two Rose Bowls before being drafted by the Rams in the ninth round of the 1981 NFL Draft. Can a college sports consultant make a run at this ex-linebacker?

Other bachelorettes from California include Carla, 62, described as an ex-model from Los Angeles; and Carol, 63, described as “family manager” for Dodgers star Freddie Freeman and a resident of the Orange County community of Villa Park.

The other California contestants are Lily, 72, a retired teacher from Pacific Palisades; Susie, 62, a realtor from Del Mar in the San Diego area; and a little farther away, 63-year-old Robin, a wealth advisor and vineyard owner from Napa Valley.

The rest of the show’s senior sirens hail from Alaska to New Jersey. The former is Diane, 71, a librarian from Wasilla, Alaska, and the latter is Amy, 63, a full-time mom from Short Hills, New Jersey.

Two contestants come from Miami. Will 67-year-old Alexandra float Mel’s boat? She’s a luxury yacht sales rep. 

Then there is 64-year-old Nicolle, a Miami Beach yoga instructor. Will she make Mel say Om?

The rest of the bachelorettes include two from Austin, Texas -- Cindy, 60, a retired biomedical engineer, and Roxanne, 62, a longevity nurse. Can she lengthen Mel’s lifespan?

There are two from Las Vegas. One is 61-year-old Mylene, a casino VIP host. The other is Peg, 62, a former firefighter.

Two others with the same first name are from Alabama -- flight attendant Monica B., 62, from Huntsville, and Monica P., 60, a cosmetic dentist from Birmingham.

The rest of the pack are Cheryl, 66, retired treasury worker from Lakewood, Colorado; Debbie, 65, a fitness professional from Denver; Gerri, 64, a home care agency CEO from Rockville, Maryland; Lisa, 66, a state park employee from Marion, Ohio; Terri, 71, a cosmetic dentist from Houston; and Tracy, 62, an interior designer from Lafayette, Louisiana.

Unlike widower Gerry Turner, who starred in the first “Golden Bachelor” in fall 2023, Owens is single because he is divorced.

The new, second “Golden Bachelor” premiering this week is the third entry in ABC’s “Golden” franchise. Last year’s was the first “Golden Bachelorette,” featuring Joan Vassos, 61, of Rockville, Maryland.

She and the man she chose -- Charles “Chock” Chapple from Wichita, Kansas -- are said to be engaged, but taking their time before setting a wedding date.

The first “Golden Bachelor” did not fare as well. He married the woman he chose -- Theresa Nist from New Jersey -- in a two-hour live special on ABC in January 2024.

But the following April, the two announced they were getting a divorce following disagreements about the style of house they would live in. 

Regardless of how it turned out, that first “Golden Bachelor” show was a sensation, the kind of TV show that you rarely see anymore -- a “talker,” which is a show people and the entertainment press talk about and, in the process, grow the audience by word of mouth.

Can “The Golden Bachelor” be golden again for ABC?

Get ready for the kickoff on Wednesday night.