Mel Owens is the hottest new golden bachelor in town. The 66-year-old former Los Angeles Rams linebacker has been officially announced as the next star of ABC’s highly anticipated reality show, The Golden Bachelor. Fans are already stoked to see Owens step into the spotlight when the franchise is aiming to capture older and more seasoned love stories.

With all 23 ladies ready to sweep him off his feet, The Golden Bachelor has left fans wondering about Owens’ highly publicised divorce from his ex-wife, Fabina, which ended not so long ago. Behind the 66-year-old former NFL linebacker’s glittering smile and TV-ready charm lies a man who is recovering from real-life personal and financial battles. 

As Mel Owens prepares his heart for a new beginning and hands out roses, fans are buzzing about two things: his hefty pay cheque and whether love will really be worth the risk.

Mel Owens’ net worth after a glittering NFL past

Mel Owens built his fortune during the ten seasons that he worked with the LA Rams and later as a sports injury lawyer. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Owens’ net worth as of 2025 is approximately USD 2 million, a sum built from a decades-long career spanning football and law.

Before he founded NBO Law, Owens worked as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch, where he specialised in sports-related cases, workers’ compensation, and disability claims. Though Owens is far from struggling financially, his recent divorce payouts have taken away a significant chunk of his fortune.

What Mel Owens is earning as the ‘Golden Bachelor’

Even though ABC never confirms the pay of its cast and leads, reports suggest that those in lead roles rarely make less than six figures. If previous reports are to be believed, former Bachelor Sean Lowe reportedly earned somewhere around USD 90,000 during his season, whereas Emily Maynard negotiated USD 250,000 during hers.

Given that Sean and Emily’s seasons aired more than a decade ago, in 2012 and 2013, the rates have increased significantly. Back in 2021, Jason Tatrick revealed that he, Colton Underwood, and Blake Horstmann were each offered USD 100,000 to star on The Bachelor. Dean Unglert also shared that his offer was USD 75,000. 

Based on these past offers, it is likely that Mel Owens’ pay cheque for The Golden Bachelor will be at least USD 100,000, and possibly even higher, given the tremendous success of the show’s first season. And if he finds love? He will have a televised wedding, which will also be paid for. And if the past is any indication, Owens will receive quite a massive pay cheque for his lavish wedding.

A televised wedding of the ‘Golden Bachelor’, Owens, could reportedly mean another staggering six-figure cheque. According to a report by Slate, The Bachelorette season 7 couple, Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum, were paid USD 250,000 for their 2012 wedding, whereas Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici earned six figures for their wedding in 2014. 

Inside Mel Owens’ high-profile divorce from Fabiana Pimentel

Before stepping into the spotlight with The Golden Bachelor, Mel Owens went through a long divorce battle after he and his 19 years younger ex-wife, Fabiana Pimentel, decided to separate. The duo married in 2002 and share two sons, Lucas, 19, and Andre, 18. They applied for their divorce in 2020, and it was finalised in December 2024. The Court ordered Owens to pay Pimentel a whopping USD 980,000.

A California judge ordered Owens to pay nearly USD 1 million ‘on or before February 28, 2025’, owing to unpaid child and spousal support, division of property, and legal fees, which totalled another USD 165,312. While Fabiana waived future alimony, the one-time payment was a costly hit to Owens’ net worth.

The expensive divorce ended with Owens getting the former couple’s Orange County home, now worth over USD 2 million, along with several assets totalling over USD 2.75 million. The messy divorce also ended with a last dose of drama. When Owens’ ex-wife learnt about his casting as the next ‘Golden Bachelor’, her response was blunt. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 47-year-old issued a firm warning by saying:

“Good luck. I mean, it’s going to be bad. But anyway, I don’t want to be involved in this.”

Meet the women competing to win Mel Owens’ heart

Despite the backlash over ageist comments he made about contestants, ABC confirmed that Owens remains the lead in The Golden Bachelor. For this season, a total of 23 women are lining up to win the 66-year-old charmer’s heart. The lineup of women ranges from 58 to 77 years old, including a retired model, a luxury yacht sales rep, and even a former bomb tech. The cast has already sparked buzz, with ABC teasing Season 2 as an even more emotional ride than its debut.

Between his six-figure Golden Bachelor payout and a massive divorce settlement, all eyes are now on Owens as he walks into Season 2, slated to premiere on September 24, 2025. Will he find love on camera, or will his off-screen baggage steal the spotlight?

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