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Colton Underwood, The Bachelor‘s 23rd bachelor on the show, spoke about his childhood and the issues he faced while growing up on the first, three-hour premiere episode earlier this season. The show delved into this Bachelor’s past, and gave fans a glimpse of Underwood’s life as a kid, including sharing pictures and stories from his childhood.
During the episode, Underwood revealed that he was “the fat kid” at a Christian school who struggled to make friends and gain social acceptance from his peers. He said that he was awkward, “chunky,” and grew up in a “conservative environment.”
“Grade school Colton would probably be really shy and timid at the fact that he was just named the Bachelor,” he said. “I grew up in a pretty conservative environment. I was at a Christian school and I was always like the fat, chunky, awkward, weird kid. I didn’t have girlfriends. I wanted to fit in so bad, but I felt very alone. A lot of days, I didn’t want to go to school.”
“My confidence in myself didn’t come until my later years in high school,” Underwood continued. “The one thing I knew how to do really well was football. When things were good, it was because of football, and that’s why I got lost in it.”
Underwood was born in Indianapolis, Indiana before his family relocated to Washington, Illinois, where he spent most of his childhood. His parents Scott and Donna Underwood divorced shortly after the move. As he got older, Underwood attended Washington Community High School in Washington, Illinois, and Illinois State University, where he played college football for the Illinois State Redbirds.
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According to NFL.com, Underwood was brought on as an un-drafted free agent by the San Diego Chargers on May 10, 2014. Heightline reports that the position only lasted three months, and he was waived on August 30 of the same year. He went on to join the practice squad with the Philadelphia Eagles, and then re-signed with the Chargers, but was waived once more when he was put on injury reserve. The Oakland Raiders signed him to their practice squad on December 1, 2015, but he was let go a final time on August 29, 2016.
Underwood says that he mostly overlooked a love life while he was working toward his football career, although he doesn’t regret the sacrifices he’s made. “I made it to the NFL, and, for me, it was so special,” he said in the season premiere. “I’ve had such a great life. I’ve had so many cool opportunities, but the one thing I’ve been missing is somebody to share those with.”
According to Romper, after Underwood’s lonely, awkward adolescence, he suffered a few unhealthy relationships later in life due to his unresolved issues with trust during his childhood. However, he eventually found his footing and blossomed into the successful man he is today, including a stint as a professional football player with the NFL and the reality television star he is now.
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