--- title: "From Bama to the Stallions: AJ McCarron" date: 2026-04-27 author: "Laurie Stroud" featured_image: "https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AJ-in-Stallions-Hat.jpeg" categories: - name: "More" url: "/category/news/more.md" tags: - name: "Cover" url: "/tag/cover.md" --- # From Bama to the Stallions: AJ McCarron **Cover Story** AJ McCarron is a familiar face in Alabama and holds a special place in the hearts of Crimson Tide football fans for his role as quarterback for the team’s 2011 and 2012 BCS National Championship seasons. Now he’s returned to the sport in a new role as the head coach of the United Football League’s (UFL) Birmingham Stallions and is drawing both on his Crimson Tide background and his strong family support to find success. [![AJ McCarron and Nick Saban on field](https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AJ-McCarron-and-Nick-Saban-on-field-240x300.jpg "AJ McCarron and Nick Saban on field")](https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AJ-McCarron-and-Nick-Saban-on-field.jpg)AJ McCarron played under the leadership of Coach Nick Saban from 2009-2013. During his time at Alabama, the team won three national championships. Photo Courtesy: Kent Gidley/University of Alabama**Learning from the Best.** McCarron attended and won a state football championship for St. Paul’s Episcopal High School in Mobile, Ala., then joined Coach Nick Saban at the University of Alabama. He played from 2009-2013, winning three national titles (including two as starting quarterback) and finished his career with 77 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions. He continued his career with the Cincinnati Bengals after being drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft and also played for the Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, and Atlanta Falcons; his last playing position was with the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. McCarron’s also been active in the football world since then in podcasting and analysis, most recently with former Alabama running back Trent Richardson and “Voice of the Crimson Tide” Chris Stewart on “The Dynasty” podcast. Through all the steps along his sports journey, McCarron said that he had excellent role models and leaders who taught him the importance of coaching. “I’ve learned from a lot of coaches throughout my playing career,” he said, including time under Saban, widely considered the greatest college football coach of all time. “I think about how different coaches handled certain situations, and how that affects how I coach myself.” [![AJ talking to player](https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AJ-talking-to-player-240x300.jpeg "AJ talking to player")](https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AJ-talking-to-player.jpeg)Stallions Head Coach AJ McCarron suffered a near-fatal jet ski accident when he was just 5-years-old, and credits that brush with death as a reminder that God rescued him so that he could live out the purpose he had for his life. The story of his injury and miraculous recovery was often shared in broadcasts of Alabama football games. Photos courtesy United Football LeagueFans often recall the strong relationship they saw between Saban and McCarron on the football field and on the sidelines. McCarron’s success came during the heyday of Saban’s career, which ultimately resulted in six national titles during his 17-season tenure in Tuscaloosa. McCarron said that he ultimately wants to be a coach who has his players’ best interests at heart. “I want my players to have trust in me and allow them to have a voice. If we can do something better in practice, scheduling, or whatever, I want to hear constructive criticism,” he said. “But it’s also about taking care of the guys and understanding how a season takes its toll on you.” While the Stallions job is his first professional coaching position, McCarron has helped at high schools and has been offered high school head coaching jobs, college offensive coordinator positions, and has helped as part of an NFL staff. While he never imagined working as a head coach in the UFL, he said that the Stallions position made it hard to say no. “This opportunity came along, and it was just something I couldn’t pass up,” McCarron said. He now looks to the opportunity at the Stallions as an exciting one; while expectations for the team to win are always high (the team won UFL championships in 2022, 2023, and 2024), McCarron said that pressure is something he feels comfortable with. “I played at Alabama, and there’s nobody under more pressure than the quarterback at the University of Alabama. So, I like it. I love it. I think I thrive in that,” he said. “I’ve always played my best in the biggest games. It’s part of growing up in Alabama—we’re crazy about football, and the expectations are high. That’s what I love about it.” [![McCarron family at baseball field](https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/McCarron-family-at-baseball-field-225x300.jpeg "McCarron family at baseball field")](https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/McCarron-family-at-baseball-field.jpeg)AJ and Katherine McCarron spend many hours at the baseball field with their sons. Left to right: Tripp, Cash, and Gunnar. Photo courtesy: McCarron family**Family Ties.** The decision to lead the Birmingham Stallions came in part because of the way the job complements his family life. “I’ve just really enjoyed being retired, playing golf, coaching my kids, being there to pick them up from school, and all of those things that come with being a parent,” he said. “This works out great for me because I still get to go back home and watch my kids play.” McCarron and his wife, Katherine Webb-McCarron, married in 2014 after he was drafted into the NFL. Their wedding in Orange Beach made entertainment headlines, and Katherine’s own career as a model and former Miss Alabama USA made her famous in her own right. The McCarrons have three sons–Tripp (9), Cash (7), and Gunnar Cruz (4)–and make their home in Mobile. The McCarrons have always stressed that faith is an important part of their marriage and family, and AJ points to his grandfather’s influence when he was young as a vital part of his faith story. During the Stallions season, McCarron travels with the team and lives temporarily in the Birmingham area. They own McCarron Real Estate in Mobile, which Kathleen helps run, and have just opened a division in Tuscaloosa. McCarron credits his wife for keeping the family running–whether it’s managing the business or getting sons to sports practices and games while her husband’s out of town. “The boys are very active, and Katherine keeps everything running smoothly,” he said. “Tripp and Cash are currently playing baseball, and they also play football and basketball. I’ve coached them every year in flag football, and this is the first season that I’ve ever missed a game.” He adds, “Gunnar Cruz \[who has level one autism\]. is getting better all the time, and he’s starting to talk and has his own language,” he said. “I give credit to Katherine, who does everything while I’m gone.” In a recent interview with the *New York Post*, Katherine credited her husband for his coaching acumen. “I’ve always called him a mini Nick Saban with the way he coaches and the way he is,” she said. “He’s always pushing people around him to be better and be the best that they can be.” That attitude–whether in coaching his own sons or coaching professional players-comes from a true heart for the athletes. [![AJ running out on field](https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AJ-running-out-on-field-300x200.jpeg "AJ running out on field")](https://birminghamchristian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/AJ-running-out-on-field.jpeg)AJ McCarron was announced as the new head coach for the UFL Birmingham Stallions in December. He strives to coach the team with their best interests at top of mind.**Bringing Families Together.** McCarron pointed to the Birmingham Stallions’ family-like focus as one reason he’s excited to be part of the organization. He said that the team is run like a family, and that it offers something special for the families of Birmingham. “To have the kind of success that this team has had, you have to work together like a family,” he said. “It’s not just the players, and it’s not just the coaches. It’s everyone who has a hand in it—from the training staff to the video crew to the fans. It’s about having a mindset of family unity, coming together to create an atmosphere that’s unlike anything else.” He said that the Birmingham market and the football fans in it have embraced the Stallions and that, as a result, the team strives to provide a quality product and entertainment for those fans. “When you come together, and the city and state believe in you, and you build that unity together, you can create something special and an atmosphere that’s unmatched,” he said. “It’s what we say to the guys and to the community: it takes all of us together as a family.” *-Cheryl Wray*