Colton Underwood x FAULT Magazine

Top and Jeans: Theo

Photographer: Ken Medilo
Stylist: Joshua Alan Clark
Grooming: Tracey Anderson

Words: Miles Holder

Former professional athlete turned television personality, Colton Underwood has spent the past decade navigating life in the public eye, first on the football field, then through reality television, documentaries, and now a growing career behind the camera.

More recently, audiences have seen him step into the strategic chaos of The Traitors, but beyond the gameplay, Underwood is increasingly focused on storytelling in a broader sense, exploring new creative roles as a producer and director while balancing family life and fatherhood. In conversation with FAULT Magazine, Underwood reflects on the unexpected realities of competing on The Traitors, the lessons sport taught him about resilience, navigating public perception in the age of social media, and his FAULTs.

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Top and Jeans: Theo

What surprised you most about filming The Traitors?

Colton Underwood: This was honestly one of my favourite shows I’ve ever filmed. I was already a fan of The Traitors before joining it. I’d actually been invited on a couple of times before, but scheduling conflicts meant it never worked out. It was always something I had my eye on.

What surprised me was how immersed I became in the experience and how much fun I had playing the game. I think viewers can probably see that on screen as well. I genuinely enjoyed the competition. A big part of that was the production team, they did such a great job running the show that you almost forget you’re filming television. Production keeps a very light footprint, which allows you to really live in the experience. It ended up being a really fun, different and memorable project for me.

Top and Jeans: Theo

The show is incredibly intense to watch – do you think people underestimate how difficult it actually is to play?

Colton Underwood: Absolutely. I think viewers forget that they have the answer key. When you’re watching at home, you know who the traitors are. So it’s easy to look at the faithful players and think, “How could you not see that?”

But when you’re actually in the castle, it’s maximum paranoia. Everyone is suspicious of everyone else. You’re constantly second-guessing people, reading behaviours, and trying to piece things together without any real certainty. Watching from home and playing the game are completely different experiences.

Coat and Trousers: TAAK

Did your athletic background give you a competitive edge on a show like this?

Colton Underwood: My background in sports helps me not just on competitive shows but in the entertainment industry overall. In sports, especially football, you experience failure constantly. There’s a new play every ten seconds. You might miss a tackle, make a mistake or get embarrassed in one moment, but you have another opportunity almost immediately.

That mindset has helped me a lot in my career. There are ebbs and flows in both sports and entertainment. One moment you’re succeeding, the next you’re facing setbacks. Learning to pick yourself up quickly and keep going is a skill I developed through sports.

Coat and Trousers: TAAK

Reality television also means your image and story are shaped by producers. Was that a difficult adjustment?

Colton Underwood: I truly don’t think fame is something humans are naturally built for. It’s one thing when people analyse your performance in sports – your statistics, your technique or how you played in a game because you can always improve in the next one. But when people start criticising your personality, your individuality or your appearance, that’s much more personal. The internet can be a harsh place.

What I’ve learned is to remind myself that the internet isn’t real. The people who criticise you and the people who idolise you are both seeing a curated version of you through a television lens. Hopefully some authenticity still comes through, but it’s always part of a larger narrative being presented to viewers.

Shirt and shorts: IntoDusk l Coat: Entire Studios l Shoes: Christian Louboutin

How do you balance being a public figure with maintaining a private life?

Colton Underwood: At this point in my life, I’m really trying to find that balance with my family, my husband and my child. They’re not in the public eye unless I choose to share moments on social media. As a family, we’ve made the decision to live publicly, but that also means being mindful about privacy and safety.

At the same time, I do feel a responsibility to the communities I’m part of, whether that’s my faith community, the sports world, or the LGBTQ+ community. Representing those spaces and showing up for them is something I take a lot of pride in.

Jacket: IntoDusk

Do you ever feel burdened by being a visible figure for those communities?

Colton Underwood: At the beginning, I definitely did. I remember telling people on my team that I didn’t feel ready to be a role model. I was still figuring things out myself. When people would approach me and ask for guidance about their own experiences, I felt unqualified.

Over time, though, that perspective has shifted. I’ve learned a lot and I’ve had incredible support from friends and people around me. Now I feel like I can pour some of that knowledge and support back into others.

I also recognise the privilege in having a platform. If I can help someone – especially someone growing up in the Midwest or in a place where they might feel alone – then that’s something I’m proud to do.

Jacket and Trousers: IntoDusk

Looking back on your career, what has been the toughest hurdle you’ve had to overcome?

Colton Underwood: Coming out publicly was definitely the most challenging part of my journey, but also the most rewarding. Doing that on camera meant thinking about how to explain it to my family, how to process it myself and how to present that vulnerability to the world.

Having the support of Netflix and the platform they provided helped me share that story on a global scale, and that gave me a lot of motivation to continue being open and authentic.

Jacket and Trousers: IntoDusk

How has becoming a parent changed your perspective on work and life?

Colton Underwood: Becoming a parent has made me more selective about the work I take on. Projects now have to feel meaningful or fulfilling in some way.

For example, The Traitors fulfilled a fun, competitive side of me. But I’m also working on a series that explores fertility journeys, which feels like giving back to a community that helped my husband and me. When we were starting that process, there wasn’t much information available, so sharing those stories feels important.

Jacket by Ksubi

Do you hope your son will grow up playing sports like you did?

Colton Underwood: That’s an ongoing conversation in our house. I imagine he’ll try some kind of sport, but we don’t want to force anything on him. If he wants to play piano, act, or do something completely different, that’s fine too.

The one thing I’d encourage is being part of a team at some point. I think being part of a team teaches important life skills about supporting others and working together.

Was it difficult adjusting when your sports career ended?

Colton Underwood: I wasn’t prepared for it at all. I had a shoulder injury with the Raiders that really sent me into a spiral. My identity had always been football. When that ended, I felt completely lost.

Shortly after, I entered the Bachelor world and did three shows in one year. In hindsight, I was just replacing one identity with another, which wasn’t healthy either.

Over time, especially after coming out and building my family life, I’ve realised that identity can be multifaceted. I’m a father, a husband, a professional, a storyteller and a television personality. All of those things now make up who I am.

What is your FAULT?

Colton Underwood: My biggest FAULT is reading text messages, responding in my head, and then never actually typing the reply. I get distracted and forget to send the message.

I mean no harm when I leave people on read, I genuinely think I’ve responded. Then when I realise later, it’s been a day or two and I feel terrible about it. It’s something I’ve tried to fix for years, but it still happens.

Read our previous coverstory with The Traitors alumn Tom Daley