Jesse Palmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jesse Palmer

Palmer in November 2010
No. 3
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1978-10-05) October 5, 1978 (age 46) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	St. Pius X (Ottawa, Ontario)
College:	Florida (1997–2000)
NFL Draft:	2001 / Round: 4 / Pick: 125
CFL draft:	2001 / Round: 2 / Pick: 15
Career history
New York Giants (2001–2004) San Francisco 49ers (2005); (2006)* Montreal Alouettes (2006)*
Career NFL statistics
Pass attempts: 120 Completions: 63 Passing yards: 562 TD–INT: 3–4
Player stats at PFR

Jesse James Palmer (born October 5, 1978) is a Canadian television host, sports expert, and former professional football player. He played as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons in the early 2000s. Jesse Palmer played college football for the Florida Gators. After college, he played for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL. He also spent time with the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Beyond football, Jesse Palmer became famous on the reality TV show The Bachelor in 2004. He then started a successful career as a college football analyst for ESPN/ABC. He has also hosted many popular TV shows, including Holiday Baking Championship on Food Network and DailyMailTV. Since 2021, he has been the main host of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette shows.

Growing Up in Canada

Jesse Palmer was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He grew up in Nepean, Ontario, which is a suburb of Ottawa. He went to Confederation and St. Pius X high schools. He played amateur football for local teams in Ottawa, like the Ottawa Norsemen and Myers Riders Football Clubs.

Family Connections to Sports and Media

Jesse's father, Bill Palmer, was also a football player. He played for seven years with the Ottawa Rough Riders. His mother, Susan, was a well-known fashion model and owned a modeling agency.

Jesse has two younger brothers. His brother Billy played football as a tight end for the University of Notre Dame. His cousin, Griffen Palmer, is a country music singer and songwriter.

Playing College Football

Jesse Palmer earned a sports scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. He played for the Florida Gators football team from 1997 to 2000 under coach Steve Spurrier.

Key Moments as a Gator

During his time at Florida, Jesse often shared playing time with other quarterbacks. In his final year, he was chosen as one of the team captains. He also received the Gators' Fergie Ferguson Award. This award honors a senior football player who shows great leadership, character, and courage. He finished his college career with 3,755 passing yards.

Jesse graduated from the University of Florida in 2001. He earned two degrees: one in political science and another in marketing. He was also recognized for his excellent grades, making the Southeastern Conference’s academic honor roll three times.

Professional Football Journey

After college, Jesse Palmer began his professional football career.

Playing in the NFL

The New York Giants picked Jesse Palmer in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL draft. He played for the Giants from 2001 until 2005. For most of his time with the Giants, he was a backup quarterback. In 2002, he played in two games. The next year, he played in six games and started three of them. Jesse Palmer was the second Canadian player to start as a quarterback in the NFL.

In 2005, the Giants released him. He then tried out for other NFL teams like the Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers in November 2005 but was released without playing. He rejoined the 49ers in 2006 but was released again before the season started.

Time in the CFL

After leaving the NFL, Jesse looked to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Montreal Alouettes had drafted him in 2001. On September 11, 2006, the Montreal Alouettes signed him. However, Jesse did not play in a game for Montreal. He decided to retire from the CFL before the 2007 season to focus on a career in broadcasting.

Life After Football: TV Star

Becoming The Bachelor Host

In 2004, Jesse Palmer became the first professional athlete to appear on The Bachelor. He was also the first non-American "Bachelor." On the show, he chose Jessica Bowlin, but their relationship ended a few months later. Years later, Jesse returned to the franchise as the host. He now hosts The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor In Paradise, and The Golden Bachelor.

A Career in Broadcasting

Jesse Palmer's broadcasting career started with Fox Sports Net. He analyzed Arena Football League games. He later worked as an analyst for NFL games on Fox and appeared on the NFL Network.

In 2007, Jesse joined ESPN. He worked as a studio analyst for college football shows on ESPN and ABC. He also commented on ESPN Thursday Night College football games. He was a co-host on "The Palmer and Pollack Show" on ESPNU. In 2014, he became a lead announcer for the SEC Network.

Jesse has also worked on entertainment news. He was a New York correspondent for CTV's eTalk, covering major events like the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards. He has hosted several food competition shows, including Holiday Baking Championship and Spring Baking Championship on Food Network. From 2017 to 2020, he hosted DailyMailTV. In 2021, he hosted The Ultimate Surfer on ABC.

Jesse Palmer has also appeared in commercials, including for Rooms To Go furniture and Avocados from Mexico.

Personal Life

Jesse Palmer is married to Emely Fardo, who is a Brazilian photographer and model. They met in 2017 and got married in Connecticut in 2020. They had a second wedding in France in 2022. Their daughter, Ella, was born in January 2024.

See also

• Florida Gators football, 1990–99
• List of Florida Gators in the NFL draft
• List of New York Giants players
• List of University of Florida alumni