Golden Bachelorette guys and Golden Bachelor gals aside, the most jaw-dropping contestant on Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 by far is the one, the only Dale Moss.
The group of 16 Bachelor and Bachelorette alums kicking off the season features contestants from Grant Ellis and Joey Graziadei’s seasons of The Bachelor, Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette, and a few familiar Paradise faces. But there are also a few wildcards in the mix, and I think I can speak for all of Bachelor Nation when I say that we never saw Dale Moss’ iconic return to the franchise coming.
If you’re a relatively recent fan of the Bachelor franchise (post 2020), then you’re likely asking yourself, “Who the heck is Dale Moss and why is he such a big deal in Bachelor Nation?!”
So who is Dale Moss on Bachelor in Paradise? What’s his history with The Bachelorette? And what did Paradise host Jesse Palmer tell Decider about Dale’s impact on the beach? We’ve got answers.
Here’s everything to know about Bachelor in Paradise contestant Dale Moss, including his age, hometown, Instagram account, and some kind words from Paradise host Jesse Palmer.
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: Jaw. Dropped. For those who need a refresher, Dale Moss was the winner of The Bachelorette Season 16, starring Clare Crawley. But Dale was no ordinary winner. He received Crawley’s first impression rose, then rather than going through the typical Bachelorette process of spending weeks dating and eliminating men, within a couple weeks of filming (reportedly 12 days of dating!), the two got engaged and abandoned the show to start their lives together!
In January 2021, Crawley and Moss broke up. Then they got back together. Then they split again in September 2021, and Crawley went on to marry Ryan Dawkins in 2023. Now, Moss is heading to the beach for another shot at love within the franchise. So let’s get to know more about the standout Bachelorette suitor, shall we?
Moss is a 36-year-old former NFL wide receiver from Brandon, South Dakota, who’s played on the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, and other teams throughout his career. Per LinkedIn, the former NFL player is a sports and entertainment host/producer/actor (Love, Game, Match on Prime Video)/creator repped by United Talent Agency. He’s also a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics. He founded Moss Martin Media back in 2014 to champion diverse storytelling. And he’s even given a Ted Talk!
Here’s more about Moss’ career in his own words: “I have worked on projects with globally recognized networks and streaming platforms, such as ESPN, ABC and Amazon Prime to name a few. As a host I’ve been I’ve been front and center during two Super Bowls, Tribeca Film Festival, the Special Olympic World Games as well as live music experiences with Zedd, Becky G and Alesso to name a few. As a former NFL wide receiver, executive producer for two docu-series currently in development and a global ambassador for Special Olympics, I’ve gone all in on my passion for sports, storytelling, culture, and social impact…”
In other words, Moss is kind of a big deal! And not just because of his impressive professional resumé. His Paradise appearance marks a triumphant return to the franchise, which Bachelor Nation members — including Jesse Palmer — are pumped about.
“He was one of the people I was most excited to meet, because I didn’t host his season like everybody else, and we didn’t see so much of Dale and Claire because they were done only a few episodes in,” Palmer told Decider in an interview. “Obviously, I was curious to find out more about him. I know he’s a fellow football player. I knew him and I would have a lot in common. So I was really excited to see what kind of impact he would have at the beach, and I think it’s safe to say he had a pretty big impact.”
Moss is hitting the beach after a 2024 breakup with HGTV’s Galey Alix, whom he dated for more than two years. In an interview with People, Moss explained, “Honestly, I’m in Paradise just to be open to the experience. Life has a lot of changes, and I think there’s so many times that we want to control everything, right? And this is, for me, kind of refreshing stepping into an environment that I might not have all the answers to, and honestly, showing up and being myself and hoping that’s enough… I kind of want to just escape. And I also know at the end of the day, meeting someone is very important to me. So I’m just open.”
“I was really excited to see what kind of impact [Dale] would have at the beach, and I think it’s safe to say he had a pretty big impact.”
Jesse Palmer, Bachelor in Paradise
The Paradise Season 10 teaser shows Moss cozying up to Paradise alum Kat Izzo on a boat, but we’ll have to tune in to see what the beach has in store for him! In the meantime, you can stay up-to-date with Moss by following him on Instagram at @dalemoss13, where he had 575,000 followers ahead of Paradise‘s Season 10 premiere.
Bachelor in Paradise premieres July 7 with new episodes Mondays at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.