A. J. McCarron

Raymond Anthony "A. J." McCarron Jr. (born September 13, 1990) is an American former professional football quarterback and current head coach of the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, becoming the first quarterback to win consecutive BCS National Championship Games with victories in 2012 and 2013. McCarron also received the Maxwell, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, and Kellen Moore Awards. McCarron was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft and played four seasons as a backup. He spent his next four seasons as a backup with the Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, and Atlanta Falcons, then spent two seasons as the starting quarterback for the St. Louis Battlehawks, a team that played initially in the XFL and then the United Football League (UFL). In October 2025, McCarron announced his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Alabama in the 2026 election. He dropped out in December of the same year.