ABC's Indianapolis-Born 'Bachelor' Named After NFL Team

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Season 23 of ABC's "The Bachelor" premieres Monday night, Jan. 7, and it just so happens this season's "Bachelor" has some ties to Indiana. This season's leading man, 26-year-old Colton Underwood, was born in Indianapolis, according to the show's website.

In addition to being born in the Circle City, Underwood was born on Super Bowl Sunday, Jan. 26, 1992, and was in fact named after the Indianapolis Colts. His family moved to Illinois where he played football at Washington High School before dominating on defense at Illinois State University, according to the school's website.

Underwood majored in business management at the university, where his father and brother also played football. He would go on to play for three professional football teams after college; the San Diego Chargers, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Oakland Raiders.

Insider reported Underwood never played in an NFL game and was injured in his last season, so he chose to move on and focus on a foundation he started while playing football, the Colton Underwood Legacy Project. This provides support for cystic fibrosis patients and was founded by Underwood because his younger cousin suffers from CF, a genetic disease affecting the lungs and ability to breathe without difficulty.

So, how did he get to be the star of this season's "Bachelor"? Underwood was eliminated right before the final rounds on the last season of "The Bachelor" franchise's "The Bachelorette," by leading lady Becca Kufrin. He then signed on to the franchise's "Bachelor in Paradise," which aired this past summer. He left the show and was soon chosen as the next "Bachelor."

Season 23 of "The Bachelor" premieres at 8 p.m. EST Monday, Jan. 7 on ABC. Watch as 30 bachelorettes compete for Underwood's heart.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - AUGUST 07: Colton Underwood attends the Disney ABC Television TCA Summer Press Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 7, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)