Former University of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron announced Wednesday that he is ending his campaign for lieutenant governor of Alabama to pursue a new sports-related opportunity.
A move that was clarified a day later when the United Football League named him head coach of the Birmingham Stallions. McCarron did not initially disclose details of the position but said in a statement that “football is calling my name once again.” The announcement came just two months after McCarron entered the race.
“My football position will require the same 100% focus, commitment, and attention,” McCarron said.
The UFL announced McCarron will take over as head coach of the Stallions for the 2026 season. He replaces Skip Holtz, who was not retained after four seasons in Birmingham.
“I am excited about this new opportunity with the UFL,” McCarron said in a league release. “This game has given me so much as a player, and now I am ready to give back as a coach.”
McCarron led Alabama to back-to-back national championships in the 2012 and 2013 seasons and was a Heisman Trophy runner-up before playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and several other NFL teams. He most recently played for the St. Louis Battlehawks during the XFL’s revival and the league’s transition into the UFL.
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