Fans Drag 'Golden Bachelor' Mel Owens For 'Ageist' Remarks: 'Recast Him Immediately'

Mel Owens is stepping into the spotlight as the newest star of "The Golden Bachelor," but his recent comments about age and dating have many fans questioning if he’s the right man for the job.

The 66-year-old former NFL player, who will lead the second season of ABC’s senior dating spinoff, sparked backlash due to recent comments.

Mel Owens opened up about what he is looking for in women who are considering appearing on his season, and he admitted he isn’t interested in dating women his age or older.

“If they’re 60 or over, I’m cutting them,” Owens said bluntly during a June 4 episode of the "In the Trenches With Jon Jansen" podcast.

He went on to share that he told producers from the beginning that he preferred women between the ages of 45 and 60. “Just being honest,” he added.

Owens recalled a conversation with "Golden Bachelor" executive producers, saying, “We had lunch with the executive producer. I said, ‘If they're 60 or over, I'm cutting them.’ [They said], ‘Oh no, you can't. This is not 'The Silver Bachelor,' it’s 'The Golden Bachelor.’ He goes, ‘But they’re gonna be hot, don’t worry about it.’”

The candid remarks didn’t sit well with fans of the franchise, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration.

“Starting to explain why he’s 66 and single,” one user posted.

Another added, “Mel Owens & @ABCnetwork @GoldenBachABC can take their ageist BS & shove it!”

Others called out the double standard. “Wow, what an a--. Hopefully, no one will watch. Reminds me of these recent men who were not hot, complaining to me that women don’t age well,” a third fan wrote.

"He doesn’t seem like the type for 'in sickness and in health,'" another X user said as someone asked ABC to "recast Mel Owens immediately."

Owens is ready to trade the courtroom for candlelit dates and roses as he was officially announced as the next "Golden Bachelor" earlier this year during Hulu’s “Get Real House” presentation.

Owens, who hails from a close-knit Midwestern family in Detroit, becomes the second lead in the senior spinoff of "The Bachelor," following in the footsteps of Gerry Turner.

The 66-year-old is no stranger to chasing dreams and catching them. He played football at the University of Michigan before being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams as the ninth pick in the 1981 NFL Draft. He went on to have a successful NFL career before pivoting to law.

Now based in Orange County, California, Owens has spent years representing clients in sports-related injury cases.

But despite a life filled with athletic accolades and legal victories, Owens’ proudest role has been fatherhood.

He shares two sons with his “first love” and, after the passing of his father and the end of his marriage, poured himself into being the best dad possible, coaching sports teams and showing up for every milestone.

Now, he’s shifting focus to finding a partner to share life’s next chapter with. ABC describes Owens as someone looking for “the simple joys of companionship, sharing life’s everyday moments, making plans for the future, and growing stronger together as a couple.”

His casting comes on the heels of a headline-making debut season, which saw 72-year-old Gerry Turner find love, and later heartbreak, with Theresa Nist. The couple tied the knot in a televised wedding special in January 2024 but announced their divorce just three months later.

Owens hopes to write a different kind of love story.

“I’m ready to find someone who wants to build something real,” Owens previously hinted. “At this stage in life, it’s not about the grand gestures. It’s about the quiet moments, the connection, and building a future together.”

As viewers gear up for Season 2 of "The Golden Bachelor," all eyes are on Owens to see who will capture his heart and whether this season will end in a happily ever after.