The drama is already heating up on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette, with both love connections and rivalries starting to form. Some fans, however, are still reeling over contestant Brett Harris being sent home during the Season 21 premiere. Harris became a fan favorite going into the season for representing a different body type than we’re used to seeing on The Bachelor franchise shows, and he seems to think Jason Kelce might be responsible for opening opportunities like that up to larger men.
Brett Harris spoke to The Viall Files podcast about his short stint on The Bachelorette and the attention he’s gotten for being one of very few plus-size contestants in the ABC dating franchise’s 48-season history. Nick Viall said fans were upset that Jenn Tran eliminated him on Night 1 because they saw the body diversity as “a breath of fresh air.” Brett contested that he wouldn’t have even made it that far without the retired Philadelphia Eagle’s influence, saying:
I’m representing my offensive linemen on the show, for sure. Jason Kelce has paved the way for me to be able to be here. I’ll forever be grateful for that man. I don’t deserve any special treatment because of that. If the chemistry wasn’t there, it wasn’t there, and I’m not sour about it.
While The Bachelor casting producers may be becoming more open to different body types, Brett Harris pointed out that once his foot was in the door, it was up to him. He called Jenn Tran an “awesome girl,” but said they just didn’t have the chemistry needed for him to continue on the season.
He might have a point with what he said about Jason Kelce, too. The big, burly football player has seemingly been everywhere over the past couple of years. After playing his brother Travis’ team in the Super Bowl in February 2023, Jason made a cameo on Saturday Night Live when his brother hosted and gained lots of fans by talking about Travis’ relationship with Taylor Swift on the brothers’ podcast New Heights.
In November, Jason Kelce was named one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive with the likes of Pedro Pascal, Timothée Chalamet, Usher, Jamie Foxx, Lenny Kravitz and winner Patrick Dempsey. He went viral by ripping off his shirt to celebrate Travis Kelce’s touchdown in the 2024 playoffs, and he’s appeared on everything from Abbott Elementary to Jeopardy!.
Maybe ABC decided they wanted their own fun-loving offensive lineman, and that’s why we now all know and love Brett Harris.
Hopefully The Bachelor producers see that audiences are ready for more plus-size contestants, and with the announcement that Bachelor in Paradise is returning in 2025, there’s always a chance Bachelor Nation hasn’t seen the last of Brett Harris yet.
In the meantime, new episodes of The Bachelorette air at 8 p.m. ET Mondays on ABC and can be streamed the next day with a Hulu subscription.