This is an accepted version of this page
_(cropped).jpg) McCarron with theSt. Louis Battlehawks in 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 10, 5, 2, 4 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1990-09-13)September 13, 1990 (age 35) Mobile, Alabama, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | St. Paul's Episcopal (Mobile, Alabama) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Alabama (2009–2013) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2014: 5th round, 164th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Raymond Anthony "A. J."McCarron Jr. (born September 13, 1990) is an American former professionalfootballquarterback and a candidate for Alabama Lieutenant Governor in 2026. He playedcollege football for theAlabama Crimson Tide, becoming the first quarterback to win consecutiveBCS National Championship Games with victories in2012 and2013. McCarron also received theMaxwell,Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, andKellen Moore Awards.
McCarron was selected by theCincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the2014 NFL draft and played four seasons as a backup. He spent his next four seasons as a backup with theOakland Raiders,Houston Texans, andAtlanta Falcons, then spent two seasons as the starting quarterback for theSt. Louis Battlehawks, a team that played initially in theXFL and then theUnited Football League (UFL).
In October 2025, McCarron announced his candidacy forLieutenant Governor of Alabama in the2026 election.[1]
McCarron was born to Dee Dee Bonner and Tony McCarron on September 13, 1990. His younger brother, Corey, played tight end at Alabama but transferred to play fullback atMiddle Tennessee State.[2]
McCarron was born and raised inMobile, Alabama. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School from kindergarten to fourth grade before transferring toSt. Paul's Episcopal School.[3] At the age of five, McCarron was severely injured in a jet-ski accident and almost died.[4] He first played football at Trimmier Park and thenLangan Park in Mobile. McCarron played on the same park team as future college teammateMark Barron. During McCarron's junior season of high school, St. Paul's went 14–1 and went on to win the state championship against Briarwood Christian School off a missed PAT. While attending St. Paul's, McCarron wasrecruited by several football programs in theSoutheastern Conference, includingAlabama,Auburn,Mississippi, andTennessee.[5] On May 3, 2008, he committed to theCrimson Tide, becoming the only quarterback signed by Alabama for their 2009 recruiting class.[6]
McCarron capped off his high school football career at the 2009U.S. Army All-American Bowl.[7]
In his first season at Alabama, McCarron accepted a redshirt and did not play during the season[8][9] as the team went 14–0 to capture the2009 National Championship over theTexas Longhorns.[10] During his redshirt freshman year, McCarron did see some playing time, appearing in nine games as the Crimson Tide finished 10–3.[11][12] His first collegiate touchdown pass came during the season opener when he connected with wide receiverJulio Jones on a 29-yard pass againstSan Jose State.[13] McCarron passed for 389 yards and three touchdowns during the season. AgainstAuburn on Alabama's last possession McCarron came in for injured starterGreg McElroy. However, McCarron threw four straight incompletions to end the game as Auburn came back to win 28–27 after being down 24–0 in the second quarter.[14]
After a tight competition for the starting quarterback position during spring practices, McCarron was named as the co-starting quarterback alongside Phillip Sims for the team's2011 season opener versusKent State, and later became thede facto starter by starting in every game.[15][16] In his first collegiate start, McCarron threw for 226 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions as Alabama won 48–7.[17] His first road start for Alabama came the following week, as the Tide traveled to State College, Pennsylvania. McCarron's performance of 163 yards with no turnovers helped Alabama defeatPenn State by a score of 27–11,[18] which turned out to be the last loss for head coachJoe Paterno. Another solid performance, alongside running backTrent Richardson, helped McCarron get a victory in his firstSoutheastern Conference (SEC) start, a 38–14 win over #14Arkansas.[19]
During the course of his sophomore season, McCarron helped lead the Crimson Tide to an 11–1 overall record during the regular season, including 7–1 record in conference.[20] Alabama's only loss of the season came during a9–6 overtime defeat at the hands of #1-rankedLSU.[21][22] During the game, McCarron completed 16-of-28 passes for 199 yards and an interception. By remaining unbeaten during the rest of the regular season, Alabama again met LSU at theSuperdome for the national championship. His performance of 234 yards passing earned McCarron Offensive Player of the Game in a 21–0 rout of the Tigers.[23] During his first season as starting quarterback, McCarron threw for 2,634 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions[24] and led the team to theBCS National Championship.[25]
McCarron had a strong start inhis second year as starting quarterback for Alabama as the Crimson Tide started off the season with a 9–0 record.[26] His good start to the season, including a comeback victory overLSU, had several media members put McCarron as adark horse candidate for the year'sHeisman Trophy.[27][28] His first interception, and Alabama's first loss, of the season came in the team's tenth game of the season.[29]
In their first year in the SEC,Texas A&M and eventual Heisman-winnerJohnny Manziel came intoBryant–Denny Stadium and upset Alabama 29–24. McCarron's second interception of the game seemingly sealed Alabama's loss, as he threw an interception on a fourth & goal pass with under two minutes remaining.[30] Both McCarron and Alabama rebounded to remain unbeaten during the rest of the regular season, which led them to the2012 SEC Championship Game versusGeorgia.[31] With the help of running backEddie Lacy, Alabama battled the Bulldogs to win 32–28 and earn a shot to play for the2013 BCS National Championship against No. 1Notre Dame.[32]
On December 12, 2012, ahead of their game against Notre Dame, McCarron announced that he would be coming back to Alabama for his senior season.[33] On January 7, 2013, Alabama met Notre Dame for the 2013 BCS National Championship. The Fighting Irish were led by their defense and Heisman runner-upManti Te'o to an unbeaten 12–0 regular season record.[34][35] However, their defense was overmatched as Alabama rolled 42–14 to capture their thirdBCS National Championship in four years behind McCarron's 264 yards and four touchdown passes,[36] which allowed him to become the first quarterback to win back-to-back BCS titles.[37] During his junior season, McCarron threw for a school-record 30 touchdown passes in a season,[38] as well as 49 touchdown passes over his career.[39] McCarron was named winner of the 2012 CFPA Quarterback Trophy on January 22, 2013.[40]
McCarron made the cover ofSports Illustrated's October 30, 2013, edition, which asked whether he was one of the best college players ever. At that time, McCarron (whose team was 10–0) was a long shot for theHeisman Trophy.[41]
As a senior in 2013, McCarron was again a second-team All-SEC selection.[42] During the season, he passedJohn Parker Wilson to become Alabama's all time passing yard leader.[43] Alabama started the season with an 11–0 record before facingAuburn in theIron Bowl.[44] In the 34–28 loss, McCarron threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns, one of which was a 99-yard pass toAmari Cooper.[45] The loss knocked Alabama out of contention for the SEC Championship. The Crimson Tide finished their season in theSugar Bowl againstOklahoma. In the 45–31 loss to the Sooners, McCarron had 387 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in his final collegiate game.[46] He also broke Greg McElroy's record for passing yards in a season, with 3,063.[47] McCarron finished in second place in the Heisman Trophy voting that season.[48]
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Lng | Y/G | ||||
| 2009 | Alabama |  Redshirt | |||||||||||
| 2010 | Alabama | 13 | 0 | 30 | 48 | 62.5 | 389 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 29.9 | ||
| 2011 | Alabama | 13 | 13 | 219 | 328 | 66.8 | 2,634 | 16 | 5 | 69 | 202.6 | ||
| 2012 | Alabama | 14 | 14 | 211 | 314 | 67.2 | 2,933 | 30 | 3 | 85 | 209.5 | ||
| 2013 | Alabama | 13 | 13 | 226 | 336 | 67.6 | 3,063 | 28 | 7 | 99 | 248.5 | ||
| Career | 53 | 40 | 686 | 1,026 | 66.8 | 9,019 | 77 | 15 | 99 | 172.7 | |||
Coming out ofAlabama, McCarron was projected by the majority ofNFL draft experts and scouts to be drafted in the second or third round. He was praised for his game management and decision making, with the potential to become an NFL starter.[49]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Wonderlic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft3+1⁄4 in (1.91 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | 31+1⁄2 in (0.80 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 4.94 s | 1.77 s | 2.93 s | 4.34 s | 7.18 s | 28.0 in (0.71 m) | 8 ft 3 in (2.51 m) | 22[50] | |
| All values fromNFL Combine[49][51] | ||||||||||||
McCarron was selected by theCincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the2014 NFL draft with the 164th overall pick.[52] Along with University of Georgia quarterbackAaron Murray, McCarron's draft value drastically dropped during the draft, as he was the ninth quarterback selected, out of the total 14.[53] It was reported that teams felt during pre-draft interviews that he came across cocky and over-confident. When asked what his best attribute was during an interview at thecombine, McCarron responded, "Winning!"[54]
On May 22, 2014, the Bengals signed McCarron to a four-year, $2.4 million contract with a $181,652 signing bonus.[55] In August 2014, he was placed on thereserve/non-football injury list due to shoulder soreness, meaning that McCarron would miss at least the first six weeks of the 2014 season.[56] WithAndy Dalton entrenched as the starting quarterback for the Bengals, and veteranJason Campbell as his backup, the Bengals did not plan for McCarron to see significant playing time during his rookie season.[56] On December 9, 2014, McCarron was activated after linebackerVontaze Burfict was placed on injured reserve.[57]
McCarron was named the backup quarterback to begin the season after beating outKeith Wenning andTerrelle Pryor during training camp.[58]
During a Week 9 31–10 victory over theCleveland Browns, McCarron appeared in his first career game.[59] Three weeks later, he completed his first career pass attempt for a three-yard completion in a 31–7 victory over theSt. Louis Rams.[60] In the next game, McCarron completed two of three passes for 19 yards in a 37–3 road victory over the Browns.[61]
On December 13, 2015, starting quarterback Dalton fractured the thumb on his throwing hand while trying to make a tackle in the first quarter against thePittsburgh Steelers. Although the Steelers won 33–20, McCarron came in and recorded 280 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.[62][63] The following week, McCarron became the first Alabama quarterback to win an NFL game sinceJeff Rutledge of theNew York Giants in 1987.[64] In his first career start against theSan Francisco 49ers, McCarron completed 15-of-21 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown during the 24–14 road victory.[65] The following week against theDenver Broncos, he threw for 200 yards and a touchdown in a 20–17 overtime road loss.[66] During the regular season finale against theBaltimore Ravens, McCarron recorded 160 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 24–16 victory.[67]
During theWild Card Round against the Steelers, McCarron completed 23-of-41 passes for 212 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the narrow 18–16 loss, ending their season.[68]
In 2016, McCarron only played in one game and recorded no statistics in a Week 6 35–17 loss to theNew England Patriots.[69]
.jpg)
On October 31, 2017, the Bengals and Browns agreed on a deal to trade McCarron to Cleveland in exchange for a second and third-round pick in the2018 NFL draft. However, the Browns failed to file the paperwork to the NFL before the trade deadline, nixing the trade.[70] Four days later, it was reported that McCarron had filed a labor grievance against the Bengals asking to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2017 season as opposed to a restricted free agent. McCarron claimed that he was healthy enough to be removed from the non-football injury list during training camp in 2014 and that his rookie season should count as an accrued season towards unrestricted free agency.[71]
On February 15, 2018, McCarron won the grievance and became a free agent to begin the 2018 season, and received lost salary with interest from the 2014 season.[72] He finished the 2017 season completing seven of 14 passes for 66 yards in three games and no starts.[73]
.jpg)
On March 14, 2018, McCarron signed a two-year, $10 million contract with theBuffalo Bills.[74] He competed for the starting quarterback position with second-year quarterbackNathan Peterman and rookieJosh Allen.[75] However, McCarron suffered a shoulder injury during a preseason game against the Browns. The injury was initially reported as ahairline fracture in his collarbone, which would have sidelined him for about four to six weeks.[76] Nonetheless, McCarron received a second opinion on the injury, which revealed no fracture, clearing him to participate in the next two preseason games, including a comeback victory over theChicago Bears, where McCarron passed for three touchdowns and ran for another in the fourth quarter despite carrying a 0.0 passer rating the previous three quarters.[77]
On September 1, 2018, McCarron was traded to theOakland Raiders for a 2019 fifth-round draft pick (originally acquired from the Steelers).[78] He appeared in two games in relief ofDerek Carr during the 2018 season, completing one of three passes for eight yards.[79]
McCarron was released on March 14, 2019, shortly after the beginning of the new NFL season.[80]
On March 20, 2019, McCarron signed a one-year contract with theHouston Texans.[81] In the regular-season finale against theTennessee Titans, McCarron recorded his first start since the 2015 season since the Texans were already locked into the #4-seed in the AFC and sat most of their starters as a result. McCarron finished the 35–14 loss with 225 passing yards and an interception to go along with 39 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 35–14 loss.[82]
On March 30, 2020, McCarron re-signed with the Texans.[83] He briefly entered the Week 14 matchup against the Bears after starterDeshaun Watson hurt his elbow, but McCarron was sacked on his lone play for a turnover on downs.[84] The Texans went on to lose on the road by a score of 36–7.[85] During the regular-season finale against the Titans, McCarron came into the game during the second quarter and threw a single pass for 20 yards in the 41–38 loss.[86]
On April 30, 2021, McCarron signed a one-year contract with theAtlanta Falcons.[87] He suffered atorn ACL in the Week 2 preseason game against theMiami Dolphins and was placed on season-ending injured reserve, ending his season before it even started.[88][89]
On November 15, 2022, McCarron was selected by theSt. Louis BattleHawks of theXFL.[90][91] He later signed a contract with the team, worth between $100,000 to $200,000 a season.[92][93] McCarron quickly became a breakout star for the Battlehawks after two consecutive comeback victories in the first two weeks of the 2023 season. In a postgame interview, McCarron stated he chose to play in the XFL rather than take a more lucrative position as an NFL backup in order to give himself more on-camera playing time so his children could watch him play, which prompted XFL co-ownerDwayne Johnson to praise McCarron for his choice.[94][95]
In his final game of the 2023 regular season, McCarron went 28-of-35 on the day, throwing for 420 yards and six touchdowns — the yardage and touchdowns the most in a single game by an XFL passer in league history.[96] He also set a league record for single-season touchdown passes with 24 that year.[97][98]
Following the season, McCarron indicated that he was open to opportunities to return to the NFL, saying, "I'm not done playing."[99] He was released from his contract on September 23, 2023.[100]
On September 23, 2023, the Bengals signed McCarron to their practice squad.[101] On December 4, he was signed to the active roster.[102]
McCarron saw his first in-season action with the Bengals in Week 14 against theIndianapolis Colts, relieving starting quarterbackJake Browning during the third quarter after Browning exited the game for a thumb injury. McCarron completed one pass before Browning returned to the game the following drive.[103]
McCarron requested and was granted his release on February 14, 2024.[104]
McCarron expressed hesitancy about returning to the Battlehawks after his stint with the Bengals ended, noting that the mergedUnited Football League was unionized when the XFL players had voted against joining the union and that the new league's pay structure was less generous to quarterbacks than the XFL's was.[105] Battlehawks coachAnthony Becht reserved a roster spot for McCarron should he agree to return to the team.[106] He ultimately agreed to return to the league because he had grown to like the league and appreciated his role in it as a senior veteran.[107]
McCarron re-signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks on February 16, 2024.[108] He spent the 2024 season as the Battlehawks' starting quarterback. McCarron suffered an ankle injury during a Week 7 contest against theBirmingham Stallions but played through the injury for the rest of the game, stating at the time that he hoped to teach a lesson to his children; McCarron eventually returned for the end of the season and theXFL conference championship, where he again injured his ankle in a 25–15 loss to theSan Antonio Brahmas. McCarron planned on having surgery to repair the ankle in the offseason, noting that there was a possibility it could end his playing career but that he wanted to continue having a part in the league even if it would be in a non-playing role.[107]
On November 15, 2024, Becht relinquished McCarron's rights, stating that he felt that it was time for another quarterback, preferably someone on an NFL practice squad (eventually revealed asMax Duggan[109]), to take the Battlehawks' reins in 2025.[110] In a post-release interview, McCarron indicated that he suspected he would not be on the Battlehawks roster for 2025 before the 2024 season ended and accused Becht of multiple wrongs, including forcing him to return to play at the end of the 2024 season while still injured, reneging on an agreement to issue a joint statement announcing his departure (as he found out about his release from his son), attempting to enforce a nonexistentreserve clause to forbid McCarron from signing with any other team unless the Battlehawks agreed to trade his rights, and portraying the departure as a retirement when McCarron fully intends on returning to professional football. McCarron asserted that his contract had already expired before Becht released him and was already afree agent. He expressed a desire to remain in the UFL, with a preference of staying in the XFL conference so he could beat Becht's team twice in a season, while also remaining open to signing with his home state team, the Stallions.[111]A. J. Smith revealed in a June 2025 interview that McCarron had been in deep discussions with the Brahmas (where Smith was offensive coordinator at the time) to sign with that team, only for unnamed upper management figures to veto the signing.[112] In a January 2025 interview with theNew York Post, McCarron's wife indicated he would likely not play football again and was in the process of securing a podcast deal.[113]
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2014 | CIN | 0 | 0 | — | DNP | |||||||||||||||
| 2015 | CIN | 7 | 3 | 2–1 | 79 | 119 | 66.4 | 854 | 7.2 | 66 | 6 | 2 | 97.1 | 14 | 31 | 2.2 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | CIN | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | CIN | 3 | 0 | — | 7 | 14 | 50.0 | 66 | 4.7 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 63.4 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | OAK | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 3 | 33.3 | 8 | 2.7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 42.4 | 3 | −2 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | HOU | 2 | 1 | 0–1 | 21 | 37 | 56.8 | 225 | 6.1 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 63.5 | 5 | 39 | 7.8 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | HOU | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 20 | 20.0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 118.7 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | ATL | 0 | 0 | — | Did not play due to injury | |||||||||||||||
| 2023 | CIN | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 5 | 80.0 | 19 | 3.8 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 82.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 19 | 4 | 2–2 | 113 | 179 | 63.1 | 1,192 | 6.7 | 66 | 6 | 3 | 86.6 | 22 | 68 | 3.1 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2015 | CIN | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 23 | 41 | 56.1 | 212 | 5.2 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 68.3 | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Career | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 23 | 41 | 56.1 | 212 | 5.2 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 68.3 | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2023 | STL | 9 | 9 | 6–3 | 203 | 295 | 68.8 | 2,150 | 7.3 | 24 | 6 | 108.4 | 29 | 100 | 3.4 | 1 |
| 2024 | STL | 8 | 8 | 6–2 | 164 | 255 | 64.3 | 1,582 | 6.2 | 15 | 4 | 98.9 | 23 | 87 | 3.7 | 1 |
| Career | 17 | 17 | 12–5 | 367 | 550 | 66.6 | 3,732 | 6.8 | 39 | 10 | 103.6 | 52 | 187 | 3.6 | 2 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2024 | STL | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 19 | 29 | 65.5 | 179 | 6.2 | 1 | 0 | 93.9 | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 |
| Career | 1 | 1 | 0–1 | 19 | 29 | 65.5 | 179 | 6.2 | 1 | 0 | 93.9 | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | |
On October 23, 2025, McCarron announced that he would be running forLieutenant Governor of Alabama in2026 as aRepublican.[114]
McCarron registered to vote for the first time three days before announcing his candidacy. In a statement to theAlabama Daily News, his campaign stated that he had been, "inspired to run by the previous month'sassassination of Charlie Kirk."[115]
McCarron became engaged to model and longtime girlfriendKatherine Webb in March 2014.[116] They got married on July 12, 2014, inOrange Beach, Alabama. Webb announced on December 8, 2015, that she was four months pregnant with their first son, to whom she gave birth in May 2016. In December 2018, Webb gave birth to a second son.[117] In March 2021, she gave birth to the couple's third son.[118]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)