ABC, will you accept Jesse Palmer's pitch for the latest Bachelor spinoff? Because after hosting the inaugural season of the Golden Bachelor, the former lead has taken a real shine to the franchise's more mature version.
Asked if he was ready to suit up for the Golden Bachelorette, he told E! News in an exclusive interview, "Absolutely. I really hope that's the case."
However, the former NFL quarterback acknowledged he's not the one calling the plays. "I can't speak on behalf of executives or anybody else, obviously," allowed the athlete. "I'm sure everyone's waiting to see how this one goes first. But I know there are thousands of women across America deserving of that."
And more than a few of them are sharing their heartbreaking tales of love and loss every Thursday night. "There's some incredible stories that I think are really going to resonate with people at home once you start peeling back the layers," Palmer, 45, noted. "As the show goes on, you learn more about these women, what they've been through. I think there's going to be a swell in support of there being a Golden Bachelorette. That's my personal opinion."
Which brings us to the second part of his game plan.
"Then we have to have a Golden Paradise," said Palmer. "In Naples, Florida. It would be perfect. You can already see the group dates."
Not that the current crop is only down for pickleball and shuffleboard. "Listen, Gerry and these women, they live very active lifestyles, that's all I'll say," he teased of the possibility of bungee jumping and cave diving in future episodes. "There's some daredevils in the mansion."
And more than a few students of the game.
Though not everyone in the mansion is fully up to speed on the Bachelor Nation lexicon (bless Nancy Hulkower for not knowing what a date card was), Palmer noted that most of the women knew their fantasy suites from their first impression roses.
So while the women were doing-each-other's-hair-for-dates levels of supportive ("It was different in the sense that I really felt like the women were very excited and happy for each other when someone got a one-on-one date versus a group date," said Palmer), they quickly mastered the art of stealing their man for a second.
"I think everybody was trying to be very respectful of each other's time with Gerry," said Palmer. "But I think fans at home are going to notice some similar strategy maybe, versus what we've seen in past seasons. These women watch the show. They know the playbook."
And while living room dance parties are great for night one, "Once real feelings and emotions come into play, then all bets are off," he explained. "And people do what they need to do to make sure that they're getting the quality time they need or that they're strengthening their own relationships."
Palmer, meanwhile, saw the experience as an opportunity to strengthen his partnership with wife of three years Emely Fardo.
Normally as the host, he acknowledged, "You're in a role where you're supposed to be giving advice to whoever the Bachelor or the Bachelorette is on their journey to find love. But none of us can tell Gerry or any of these women anything about that. Really, they're the ones teaching us lessons."
And between dropping off date cards and helming rose ceremonies, Palmer found plenty of opportunities to study up. "Every time they would talk about their past relationships or experience about love or what they're looking for, I found myself on the edge of my seat," he said, "just listening because they're imparting a lot of wisdom."
Set to welcome his first daughter with Fardo this January, "I've already bought a bunch of New York Giants gear for her and Florida Gators gear," joked Palmer, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Giants in 2001 after four years at the University of Florida.
And he's already prepared for his Super Bowl viewing to look a bit different next year. Rather than oversee a watch party, "We'll have to record it probably to be able to take breaks," he predicted. "In and out based on what she's doing. But we're really thrilled."
Frankly, the change in plans may be for the best. While the ESPN analyst and regular traveler to a certain south-of-the-border beach has teamed with Avocados from Mexico "to help people with their bowl game," as he put it, his own at-home hosting skills may need a bit of work.
Because while he whips up a mean spicy guacamole ("Lots of jalapeños, I like onions in mine and I will also add a lot of lime juice") and finishes off his spread with the appropriate mix of chicken wings, ribs and burgers, "the hardest part for me is being social," he explained. "Because I really lock in on game day."
While he's no longer calling audibles, the former QB admits to being solely focused on the gridiron action. "Before kick and after kick, I think I'm great," he said of making the rounds prior to the coin toss. "When the whistle blows, though, that's when it's me, my guac and the game."