Bachelorette castoff Brett Harris credited retired NFL star Jason Kelce for paving the way for more body inclusivity in Bachelor Nation.

Harris, 28, quickly became a fan favorite when he stepped out of the limo during night one of season 21 starring Jenn Tran. His larger build compared to past contestants came as a pleasant arrival to viewers, although he was eliminated by Tran, 26, later that night at the rose ceremony.

The contestant appeared on “The Viall Files” podcast on Tuesday, July 16, to talk about his experience on the reality dating show. Host Nick Viall said fans saw the body diversity as “a breath of fresh air,” adding that many were upset to see him go so quickly. Harris took the opportunity to give credit to Kelce, 36, for boosting his confidence while noting that there are no hard feelings between him and Tran.

“I’m representing my offensive linemen on the show, for sure. Jason Kelce has paved the way for me to be able to be here. I’ll forever be grateful for that man,” Harris, who is a former football player himself, said. “I don’t deserve any special treatment because of that. If the chemistry wasn’t there, it wasn’t there, and I’m not sour about it.”

Kelce has charmed fans thanks to his unmatched career with the Philadelphia Eagles and his and brother Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast. In addition to his professional accolades, Jason has always let his wild personality shine, which includes ripping his shirt off whenever he’s having a good time at a public event, like watching the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Buffalo Bills during the 2023 playoffs. Kelce’s carefree attitude has garnered him a lot of admiration, and in November, the football center was even named one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive.

As for Harris, Bachelor Nation didn’t get to see much of his personality during the premiere episode before he was sent home. He called Tran an “awesome girl” but admitted they ultimately didn’t have the chemistry.

Tran’s season of The Bachelorette kicked off on July 8, and the leading lady teased that there are a lot of “twists and turns” on her journey to find love.

“I’m excited to see all of that play out,” Tran told Deadline after the premiere episode. “Honestly, I’m most excited to see my self growth, because I really feel like I’m a totally different person now than I was at the beginning of it. So it’ll be really nice to see that growth, and all the moments that helped that growth happen.”