After Bachelorette Michelle Young first met Rodney Matthews, she called in a "healthy little snack," and, TBH, I am compelled to agree. To prepare for his first one-on-one with Michelle, I decided to do a deep dive on the apple taste tester himself, and everything I learned about Rodney from The Bachelorette has convinced me that he is a genuine soul who must be protected from all the regular Bach Nation nonsense.
Rodney might not be great at identifying apples — on Night One he said his red apple costume was a Granny Smith, and at the second rose ceremony, he completely failed Michelle's apple taste testing quiz — but there's something about his genuine excitement that makes up for his lack of taste buds. Plus, he knows what he wants. Per his ABC bio, "Rodney knows exactly what he wants and he is looking for someone who has that clear vision too – he's done wasting time and is ready to be wifed-up!"
Let's wife this man up! Here's what you need to know about him before that happens though...
He Played Football In College
Just like Michelle, Rodney was a serious college athlete, playing football at Fresno State. His Instagram page is pretty heavy on the college years — he's not a frequent social media user (or he cleansed his Instagram before The Bachelorette began airing) — and football is ever-present. According to his official Bachelorette bio, Rodney dreamed of playing in the NFL, but was forced to stop playing competitively due to an injury.
He Coached High School Football
In the post-Friday Night Lights and current-Ted Lasso world we find ourselves in, there is almost nothing sexier than being a sports coach. Rodney didn't post a lot about his time coaching at Claremont High School, but it sure sounds like he enjoyed it, and I bet he was just the sweetest, most inspiring, corniest coach around. aa
He Dreamed Of Being A Broadcaster
It's unclear what Rodney's career aspirations are today (he's listed as a "sales rep" on his ABC bio), but in college, he dreamed of being a broadcaster on the news. He even interned with his local ABC station, and, given his new status as a Bachelorette star on the same network, I'd say he probably did a pretty good job. He majored in journalism and mass communications in college, and you can even watch his newscaster reel here.
He Really Loves His Mom
Every year, Rodney consistently posts messages of love to his mother on Instagram. "You are my real life Wonder Woman and I'm so thankful to be your son," he wrote last year, Nov. 6. "From being a single mom working three jobs to running your own business I couldn't be more proud of you. Thank you for showing me how to grind and make it thru life."
He Loves Orange Soda
Rodney shared this pic of himself backstage with Kel Mitchelle (of Kenan and Kel) fame in 2017. It's a few years old, but I'd say this celeb encounter is so '90s it makes up for Rodney's lack of posts.
Michelle Is Officially A Fan
It was obvious when Michelle organized an elaborate apple taste testing just to get that first kiss with Rodney that she liked him during filming, but we all know how quickly those early butterflies can fade on The Bachelorette. Luckily, at the premiere last month, Michelle was seemingly still fond of the sales rep, specifically telling fans to look out for him, "Apple of my eye, Rodney," she told Entertainment Tonight. "There's a lot to see there." Hmmm...could she be hinting at his naked run through the resort, as teased in some of the previews?
Rodney, you have my curiosity, my attention, and my heart.
Image: Bachelor Nation/YouTube