His season of The Bachelor won’t air until early next year, but Clayton Echard was already hard at work on another group date–turned–solo outing on Thursday.
The 28-year-old former NFL player revealed he still had his impressive muscles when he stripped down for a beach date with eight eligible bachelorettes.
Things started to heat up later in the day at California’s Oxnard Beach when he shared some passionate kisses with Gabriela Windey, 30, after she won a solo date with him.
A day at the beach: Clayton Echard, 28, joined eight of women vying for his love on the Bachelor for a date at Oxnard Beach, California, on Thursday. The former NFL player selected Gabriela Windey for a romantic solo outing that ended with plenty of kissing
The beach day appeared to be Baywatch themed, as Clayton wore a red set of swim trunks à la David Hasselhoff, while the eight women vying for his love flaunted their curves in red one-piece swimsuits.
The cast were all spotted together with a film crew by the shore as they seemed to shoot a competition.
The women were competing to spend the overcast day on the beach alone with Clayton while also showing off their life-saving skills.
The eight beauties all had to perform CPR on a dummy, and the Bachelor selected Gabriela as the winner.
Red suits: The beach day appeared to be Baywatch themed, as Clayton wore a red set of swim trunks à la David Hasselhoff, while the eight women vying for his love flaunted their curves in red one-piece swimsuits
On tape: The cast were all spotted together with a film crew by the shore as they seemed to shoot a competition
The women were competing to spend the overcast day on the beach alone with Clayton while also showing off their life-saving skills. The eight beauties all had to perform CPR on a dummy, and the Bachelor selected Gabriela as the winner
The two seemed to hit it off right away, as they were seen with wide grins plastered over their face.
In addition to her high-cute red suit, Gabriela wore a gleaming gold necklace and modest earrings.
She wore her shoulder-length brunette locks parted down the middle and in delicate waves.
Clayton was stocked up for their solo date with a small bottle of sparkling wine that had been chilling in a bucket.
The date was a chance for the two to get to know each other better, so they spent a chunk of it relaxing on the sand on a blanket while chatting animatedly.
Strong start: The two seemed to hit it off right away, as they were seen with wide grins plastered over their face. In addition to her high-cute red suit, Gabriela wore a gleaming gold necklace and modest earrings.
Gorgeous: She wore her shoulder-length brunette locks parted down the middle and in delicate waves
Bubbly: Clayton was stocked up for their solo date with a small bottle of sparkling wine that had been chilling in a bucket. The date was a chance for the two to get to know each other better
Getting to know each other: They spent a chunk of it relaxing on the sand on a blanket while chatting animatedly
Taking a pause: The two were clearly enjoying their time alone, and Clayton leaned in for a kiss while Gabriela still had a flute of champagne in her hand
They likely had plenty in common to chat about, as Gabriela also has an NFL connection as a cheerleader for the Denver Broncos.
The dancer, who juggles a second career as a registered nurse, was honored the Pop Warner Humanitarian Award earlier this year for her work helping Covid-19 patients in the ICU amid the ongoing pandemic.
She was a surprise pick for the award, which she shared with Laurent Duvernay-Tardif of the Kansas City Chiefs, as the honor is usually given to NFL players.
She’s the first woman, and also the first cheerleader, to have been awarded the humanitarian prize.
Clayton began his football career at the University of Missouri, before briefly playing for the Seattle Seahawks in a handful of pre-season games.
Since leaving the NFL, he’s been working as an orthopedic sales representative in Columbia, Missouri, while also working on getting an MBA.
NFL connection: They likely had plenty in common to chat about, as Gabriela also has an NFL connection as a cheerleader for the Denver Broncos. The dancer, who juggles a second career as a registered nurse, was honored the Pop Warner Humanitarian Award earlier this year for her work helping Covid-19 patients in the ICU amid the ongoing pandemic
Up high: Later, they got some elevation from the deck of a lifeguard lookout post on the beach
Romantic: The orthopedic sales representative gazed into Gabriela eyes while wrapping his muscular arms around her before leaning down for another kiss
Clayton and Gabriela were clearly enjoying their time alone, and Clayton leaned in for a kiss while Gabriela still had a flute of champagne in her hand.
Later, they got some elevation from the deck of a lifeguard lookout post on the beach.
The orthopedic sales representative gazed into Gabriela eyes while wrapping his muscular arms around her before leaning down for another kiss.
The kiss seemed to be a hit with her, as she nuzzled her head against his chest afterward.
Later in the evening, Gabriela appeared to snag a rose from Clayton during the evening’s outing with the rest of the women competing for his hand in marriage.
It’s a hit! The kiss seemed to be a hit with her, as she nuzzled her head against his chest afterward. Later in the evening, Gabriela appeared to snag a rose from Clayton during the evening’s outing with the rest of the women competing for his hand in marriage
Connected: Although she has connection to Clayton through her NFL career, she’s also entwined with Bachelor nation due to her college relationship with Dean Unglert, who appeared on Rachel Lindsay’s Bachelorette season before popping up again on Bachelor in Paradise
Although she has connection to Clayton through her NFL career, she’s also entwined with Bachelor nation due to her college relationship with Dean Unglert, who appeared on Rachel Lindsay’s Bachelorette season before popping up again on Bachelor in Paradise.
On Unglert’s podcast Help! I Suck At Dating, he opined to his cohost Jared Haibon that his ex could ‘win’ the show, or at least go on to become the next Bachelorette.
‘Producers called me and were like, “Hey, we’re thinking of casting this person — what do you think of her? We know that you dated 10 years ago,’ he began.
‘And I was like, “Oh, she’s great. If she gets selected for the show, she’ll either win the show or she’ll be the next Bachelorette,” and I firmly believe that,’ he stated confidently.
Clayton previously appeared as a suitor on season 18 of The Bachelorette opposite Michelle Young, but her season won’t begin airing until October 19, and his likely won’t air until early next year.
According to Variety, producers singled out Clayton as their new Bachelor after he made a strong impression with Young, though the fact that he was still an unknown with audiences when they selected him caused some hesitation.
Looking ahead: Unglert said his college ex was ‘great’ and said he told producers ‘If she gets selected for the show, she’ll either win the show or she’ll be the next Bachelorette’