Who Is Sam McKinney On ‘The Bachelorette’? Meet The Man Who Got Jenn Tran’s First Impression Rose

The Bachelorette is back and one lucky guy got a kiss (and a first impression rose) from Jenn Tran on Night 1: Sam McKinney.

“Going into that first night, I didn’t really have a plan, but I’ve seen the show a couple times and I’ve seen how many people kiss. And I think that for me, a first kiss means a lot,” Tran told Decider over Zoom in a pre-premiere interview. “It takes a lot for me to be affectionate with somebody and to get to that level. So I knew in the back of my head that I wasn’t going to kiss anybody unless I really felt that spark and felt that connection and felt that the relationship could go to that level that night.”

“I didn’t know how many people I was going to kiss, but I was happy with myself for following my gut and for really just listening to myself,” the Season 21 lead continued.

So who is Sam McKinney on The Bachelorette? Why did Jenn deem him worthy of her first (and only) Night 1 kiss and first impression rose? And how long does Sam M. stick around this season? We’ve got answers.

Here’s everything to know about Sam McKinney, including his Bachelorette bio, age, hometown, Instagram account, and a recap of his first night with Jenn Tran.

Who Is Sam McKinney On The Bachelorette?

According to Sam M’s official ABC bio, the 27-year-old contractor from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina “brightens every room with his dazzling smile.”

“His tattoos and muscles might look tough on the outside, but Sam M. swears he’s a total softie. He’s always been a relationship guy and says his ‘ultimate dream’ is to be a loving husband and father,” the bio continues. “Sam M. has been in love before and is extremely loyal when it comes to his partner. Cheating is his No. 1 deal-breaker and is looking for a partner as loyal as he is. When Sam M. isn’t working in contracting, he loves riding motorcycles, golfing, and watching Sons of Anarchy. For Sam M., this journey is all about finding his forever, so here’s hoping he can find that meaningful connection with Jenn.”

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Sam’s fun facts:

● Sam M. had never been to the West Coast of the U.S. before The Bachelorette.
● Sam M. officiated his sister’s wedding recently.
● Sam M. was homeschooled while growing up.

Who Got Jenn Tran’s First Impression Rose On The Bachelorette? How Sam McKinney Secured The First Stem

On Night 1, Sam M. walked up to Jenn and asked her to picture her life 50 years from now, waking up on a Saturday morning to him cooking breakfast and asking — with two shots in his hands — “Do you know what time it is?” The “shot o’clock” reference was a smooth nod to Jenn’s Bachelor Season 28 finale speech, and though Sam M. was incredibly naive to think he’d be the only guy making his first impression with a shots joke, he did snag the rose, so he did something right!

In his intro video, Sam said his goal in life is to find a girl he can fall in love with. He shared that he’s been single for nearly a year and was dating and engaged to a girl he’d known since middle school, who cheated on him. He felt there was no repairing that relationship, but despite the heartbreak, he says his dream is to be a husband and father (to human babies and dogs). He also shared that he was in a motorcycle accident that should have killed him, but he walked away without a scratch. Thus, he tries to make the most of every opportunity he gets — like The Bachelorette!

After Sam walked into the mansion, Jenn called him “a hottie” with “a lot of Southern charm.” She revealed that she always wanted to date a cowboy and excitedly dubbed Sam “a sexy cowboy,” but we’d be remiss not to mention something else Jenn told Decider… In our pre-premiere interview, Jenn revealed that her celebrity crushes are Shawn Mendes and Chris Evans, and considering Sam M. is probably the most Evans-coded guy in this cast of 25 men, this first impression rose tracks! Someone in the mansion even told him, “You look like you should be in Top Gun 3!”

For those who need a refresher, Sam was the first one to steal Jenn for a second after her Night 1 welcome toast, and the two bonded over their desire for a “ferocious” and “reckless” love. Jenn told cameras she felt like there was an “undeniable connection” between the two, and later on in the evening she took Sam aside with first impression rose in hand.

“I feel like there has been something there, and I can’t stop thinking about you all night,” she explained. “I don’t always pick the right men, but there’s something in my gut that’s just telling me there’s something here. I’m really excited about it and really excited to get to know you more. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

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A post shared by Sam McKinney (@sam.mckinney.23)

When Sam accepted the first impression rose, Jenn gave him the first (and only!) kiss of the night. She described their make-out sesh as “feral” and told cameras “he’s got this energy that I am digging!” So we’ll have to see where the journey takes them.

Want to stay up-to-date with Sam. M outside The Bachelorette? Follow him on Instagram at @sam.mckinney.23, where he had 5,679 followers ahead of the Season 21 premiere. If you’re curious how long he could be on the show, keep reading for a Reality Steve spoiler.

How Far Does Sam McKinney Make It On The Bachelorette? Reality Steve Spoilers

Want to avoid major Bachelorette spoilers? This is your chance to stop reading. But if you’re curious to know how long Sam McKinney might stick around, we’ve got a Reality Steve rumor that offers some insight below. 

Per a May 31 Instagram post, Reality Steve claims he knows Jenn Tran’s Top 2 contestants, and sadly for Sam M. fans, he’s not one of the men.

As for when and why Sam M. leaves the show, you’ll have to tune in to new episodes Mondays from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET on ABC or watch next-day on Hulu to find out. In the meantime, be sure to read our interview with Jenn Tran for more Bachelorette Season 21 teases.