Face the Reality, Ed Hartwell's Fame Stems From Wife's TV Show

"Hey, that's Ed."

Not Ed, the former NFL star. Not Ed, the current United Football League linebacker either.

That's Ed, the reality star.

Ed Hartwell spent parts of eight seasons in the NFL after being drafted in 2001 by the Baltimore Ravens until his release from the Oakland Raiders in 2008. Now, the 32-year-old plays for the United Football League's Las Vegas Locomotives.

As he stands in an Orlando hotel lobby, in town to face the UFL's Florida Tuskers, Hartwell is reminded where his celebrity status truly comes from.

"I watch the show all time," the female voice said. "You have a wonderful wife. Tell your wife I say hello."

Not a word about football. Not even close.

"I'm here for a football game and the whole conversation she didn't even mention football," Hartwell laughed.

Hartwell used to be a football star. Now, he's a reality star who also happens to play football.Hartwell used to be a football star. Now, he's a reality star who also happens to play football. And that's no knock on Hartwell's game. Rather, it's a reflection of culture's draw to entertainment celebrities.

Hartwell and his wife, Lisa Wu Hartwell, are stars on Bravo's reality hit series "The Real Housewives of Atlanta."

"People know him more from the show than they do from playing football," Lisa said. "Now, everyone is like, 'Hey, that's Ed,' and before they didn't even know what he looked like."

Lisa is plenty well known herself. In addition to the reality show, she acts, writes movie scripts and designs clothes, among many other business ventures.

And while her husband has always been known amongst ardent football fans, he's now embraced in a much extended demographic.

"In football, we wear helmets," Hartwell said. "They know our name but not our face. That's changed being on this show."

Hartwell's admirers can certainly identify his face and more, especially after what he calls his "famous Speedo scene" on the show. Oh, and there's his 2011 fitness calendar, "Chiseled," featuring 12 months of a shirtless Hartwell.

"I have older women, like 50, 60, 70 years old, coming up and rubbing my back," Hartwell said. "They will say some stuff and I'll be like, 'Wow, did you just say that to me?'"



The fame makes him an easy target amongst teammates. His fellow Locomotives players got a hold of the calendar and it's been an on-going joke throughout the season.

"I walk into the locker room and they'll make poses," Hartwell said. "Even my coaches get in on it. I was getting treatment and the machine burnt me a bit. One of the coaches joked, 'The good thing is next time you make a calendar you can put some makeup on it.'"

His old teammates are laughing too. Bart Scott, a former partner on the Ravens' defense, didn't miss an opportunity to razz his close friend.

"Did he show you the Chiseled calendar with the baby oil and all that?" Scott asked. "He is making the next step. I'm not there yet, but who knows, maybe I want to make Chiseled Part Two.

"It's the funniest thing in the world. A guy can beat the odds of making it to the NFL – there are only 2,000 people in the NFL and he was one of them – but people know him for a reality show. Are you kidding me? That's what he's known for? How about being a hero on the football field?"

Scott was still laughing, though he can relate to the reality show experience as a member of the Jets on this past season's Hard Knocks.

"The cameras didn't bother me, I was made for T.V.," Scott chuckled. "Maybe Ed can get a show and I can come in and get some real money. No money is as good as that entertainment money."

Hartwell can't help but laugh along; it's part of his easygoing charm. But this show business stuff is serious. He is acting now, playing the lead role in two plays. He has his own radio show in which he gives relationship advice. He's actually writing a book on relationships.

"I'm always trying to stay busy," Hartwell said. "Even on the sideline, I don't sit on the bench that long or stand in the same place."

Oh yeah, and there's still football.

His words glisten with a gleaming fondness when he talks about the game. He recollects on memories of his NFL days as a part of the league's most famous defense and playing opposite of NFL legend Ray Lewis.


Hartwell was a fourth-round draft pick of the Ravens in 2001 and didn't miss a game in four seasons before signing a six-year, $26.25 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons in 2005. Injuries derailed his tenure with the Falcons, and he was ultimately cut in 2007.

After being out of football for two years, Hartwell made his return to the UFL in his hometown of Las Vegas.

"Oh man, I'm having fun," Hartwell said. "It's like putting a kid in a candy shop. I get to run around and tackle people, and do stuff that people don't normally do. I missed that for a bit. It feels good to go out there and still have it."

But playing in Las Vegas, a place where dreams are put on the line, Hartwell is playing with the house's money. In terms of the NFL, he's been there, done that.

While his UFL colleagues might think of the UFL as a stepping-stone, Hartwell just wants to play football. He isn't lying; you can hear it in his voice.

"I know that anything can happen but I just live it day by day," Hartwell said. "I know returning to the NFL is a possibility but I just want to go out there every day and have fun."

His wife vouches for him.

"He just loves to play," Lisa said. "If there was a team of adults playing football outside, he'd be like, 'Okay, let's play.' There doesn't even have to be an audience."

But of course, there's always an audience.

Jimmy Spencer can be reached at jimmypspencer@gmail.com or on Twitter @jimmypspencer