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AJ McCarron etched his name in Alabama football history as he helped deliver three Bowl Championship Series titles during his stellar tenure in Tuscaloosa.
After being selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, McCarron bounced around the NFL in backup roles before signing with the St. Louis Battlehawks, a franchise now part of the United Football League (UFL).
McCarron briefly returned to the Bengals in 2023 before rejoining the Battlehawks in 2024. Now McCarron is trading in his helmet for a coaching headset. On Thursday, the Birmingham Stallions named McCarron the team’s head coach for the 2026 season.
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AJ McCarron (10) from St. Louis Battlehawks arrive at the stadium before the game against the Birmingham Stallions at Protective Stadium on May 11, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Brandon Sumrall/UFL/Getty Images)
McCarron will replace Skip Holtz, who stepped down earlier this week after four years at the helm. Holtz had been in place since the Stallions didn’t begin play until 2022.
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“I am not retiring. This is simply the right time to pause, reflect and look forward,” Holtz clarified on Tuesday when he announced he would not return as Birmingham’s coach next season. “I am excited about the next steps in my journey and encouraged by new opportunities. I look forward to seeing where this road leads.”
AJ McCarron #10 of the St Louis Battlehawks looks on against the DC Defenders during the second half of XFL play at Audi Field on March 5, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Under Holtz, the Stallions posted a 33-7 record and advanced to the playoffs in each of his four seasons on the sidelines. Holtz coached the Stallions to the 2024 UFL title and a runner-up finish in last year’s league title game.
McCarron tore his ACL in his right knee in a 2021 preseason game with the Atlanta Falcons. He appeared in just two games in 2023 in his second stint with the Bengals in 2023.
AJ McCarron (5) of the Atlanta Falcons looks to pass against the Miami Dolphins during a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium on August 21, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The 2026 UFL season starts on March 27.
