What Happened to Samuel Hartman?

Sam Hartman's football journey is marked by a highly successful college career followed by a challenging transition to the professional ranks. Born on July 29, 1999, Hartman established himself as a prolific quarterback during his five seasons at Wake Forest (2018-2022), where he set numerous school records and became the all-time passing touchdowns leader in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history. His time with the Demon Deacons included being named Second-team All-ACC in 2021 and Third-team All-ACC in 2022. A notable moment in his college career was overcoming Paget-Schroetter syndrome, a blood clot condition, in August 2022, for which he received the Brian Piccolo Award for courage.

Seeking to further showcase his abilities for NFL scouts, Hartman transferred to Notre Dame for his final season of eligibility in 2023. He made an immediate impact, tying a program record for touchdown passes in his debut against Navy on August 26, 2023. Despite a strong individual performance, Hartman went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft. He subsequently signed with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent in April 2024. He was also selected by the Birmingham Stallions in the ninth round of the 2024 UFL draft in July of that year.

Hartman's professional career with the Commanders has been characterized by a series of roster moves. He was initially waived on August 27, 2024, but rejoined the practice squad the following day. He saw a brief promotion to the active roster on September 7, 2024, following an injury to backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, but was released again on October 11, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad. This pattern continued into 2025, with Hartman signing a reserve/future contract in January, being waived in August, and then rejoining the practice squad, before being promoted to the active roster in December 2025.

In the 2026 preseason, Hartman had an opportunity to compete for the backup quarterback role after Marcus Mariota sustained a sprained MCL in August. However, his preseason performances, including a game where he completed nine of 14 passes for 64 yards in a significant loss, did not solidify his position. On August 30, 2026, Sam Hartman was once again waived by the Washington Commanders as teams finalized their rosters for the upcoming season. Reports indicate that the Commanders would like to bring Hartman back to their practice squad if he clears waivers, suggesting the team still sees potential in the 27-year-old quarterback.