Mel Owens arrives at Bachelor Mansion in "The Golden Bachelor."
Mel Owens gets casual on "The Golden Bachelor."

LOS ANGELES − Former NFL star Mel Owens set the wrong kind of Bachelor Nation record by stepping into "Golden Bachelor" controversy three months before the senior edition of ABC's reality dating show even started.

Owens, 66, has apologized repeatedly for vowing on the University of Michigan's college football podcast that he would cut any woman older than 60, calling his comments "way out of bounds" and a "mistake." He apologizes again to the 23 contestants – ages 58 to 77 – arriving to Bachelor Mansion in the Sept. 24 "Golden Bachelor" premiere (8 ET/PT).

The handsome, silver-haired sports lawyer and divorced father of two hopes viewers forgive and watch the ride. "I'd say tune in, give me a second chance," Owens tells USA TODAY. "Make your own evaluation."

What we know about the new Golden Bachelor beyond his opening fumble:

Who is Golden Bachelor Mel Owens? Football plays big part of former Rams linebacker's life

"The Golden Bachelor" travels back to Owens' Detroit hometown, where his father, Walter Owens, played pro baseball for the Detroit Stars of the Negro American League and coached high school baseball.

A standout football star at the University of Michigan, the younger Owens was drafted in the first round by his childhood favorite team – the Los Angeles Rams – where he played for nine seasons and mustered 26.5 sacks. The Rams and football play huge roles in his character even today.

"You can't detach University of Michigan and the LA Rams from anything," says Owens. "Football is regimented. You have to be a team player, show up on time, work hard. All these things carry over."

After Owens retired in 1989, he went back to law school to become a sports lawyer.

Mel Owens cherishes life with his two grown sons, who gave him a crash-course in social media

Owens has two grown sons Lucas, 20, and Andre, 18, from his 18-year marriage.

"They've been living primarily with me, and I cherish that great father-son relationship," Owens says. "Every morning I get to be with them before they go to school."

The boys have supported him on his "Golden Bachelor" quest, and helped usher their social media-clueless dad into the Instagram world. "They got me on TikTok, and then on Instagram. I didn't know how to do all of those things," Owens says. "My boys were helping me. Two months ago, I had four followers. I think I have more than four now."

The new Golden Bachelor is used to criticism, and can take a hit

The "second chance" Golden Bachelor has acquited himself well since the scandal. Owens says he's used to taking hits from his football days. "I was criticized all the time, not only by fans but by coaches and teammates," says Owens. "You take it because it's your job."

He doesn't search out the boo-birds online. "I definitely don't dig into the comments in my social media," Owens says.

What happened to Mel Owens' first marriage?

Owens married Fabiana Pimental in 2002 and they had two sons. Divorce proceedings began in 2020 and were finalized in 2024.

"It was a long marriage, and it just didn't work out," he says. "I still wish her well. And I love being married."

What is his perfect date?

The self-described "romantic" won't be tied to one "perfect date."

"I like to travel, that can be a perfect date," Owens says. "Then there's just being at home, relaxing, maybe watching TV or reading or doing nothing. There are a lot of perfect moments. It's what mood that strikes."

He's not a big crier, but 'I'm emotional'

First Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner shed tears in most every episode. But don't expect waterworks from Owens. "I'm not necessarily a crier, but I'm emotional," he says. "But crying is a human emotion. It's catharctic. It happens. It's good thing."

He believes he has ESP

Owens says he'd had extrasensory perception (ESP) since childhood.

"It's an exchange of energy," he says. "There's electromagnetic energy being exchanged all over, and if you're in tune with it, you can feel it."

This comes in handy in his Golden Bachelor quest.

"When someone walks into the room, you look at them and make an evaluation," Owens says. "I've learned to trust the intuition, which is your extrasensory perception. You have a better understanding of human nature."

Is Mel Owens looking for marriage on 'The Golden Bachelor'?

Not necessarily, but definitely new love. "Love is a good thing, it fills your heart, it makes you feel better, and it gives you a purpose," Owens says. "I liked being in love. That's the ultimate goal."

Unsurprisingly, Owens isn't wearing a wedding band, or any jewelry, and gives no clue about what went down while the dating show filmed.

"You're just going to have to watch the journey," he says. "There's ups and downs, twists and turns. It's like, whoa, I even can't believe what just happened. This is an adventure."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Golden Bachelor' Mel Owens says he's more than his 'way out of bounds' comments

Reporting by Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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