AJ McCarron

A. J. McCarron has had quite an NFL career. From being one of the top quarterbacks in the college level to winning multiple BCS National Championships to getting drafted in the NFL to finding himself out of the league and having a second coming, McCarron has seen it all.

He is an American football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League. After being out of the league in the 2022 NFL season, McCarron proved himself in the XFL before earning a call to be the quarterback of the Bengals.

McCarron was sensational in his debut season in the XFL. He played for the St. Louis Battlehawks franchise. In the nine games he played, the QB threw for over 2000 yards with a passer rating of 68.8. McCarron also rushed for 100 yards and scored a touchdown. He led the league in passing touchdowns with 24 and was named the league MVP by the XFL News Hub.

A. J. McCarron Early Life

The real name of McCarron is Raymond Anthony "A. J." McCarron Jr.. Born on 13 September 1990, McCarron grew up in Mobile, Alabama. At the age of five, McCarron had a near-death experience and almost passed away during a jet-ski accident.

McCarron began his football career when he started playing at the Trimmier Park in Mobile. He transferred to St. Paul's Episcopal School from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School after his fourth grade.

His talents were visible from a very young age. In high school, during McCarron’s junior year, his team won the state championships going on a stellar 14-1 run.

McCarron’s performances earned him offers from some of the top Southeastern Conference (SEC) such as Tennessee, Mississippi, Auburn and Alabama. On 3 May 2008, he eventually committed to the University of Alabama. McCarron was the only QB signed by the team for their ‘09 class.

A. J. McCarron College Career

A. J. McCarron attended the University of Alabama from the year 2009 to 2013. The then-Crimson Tide QB pursued health studies during his time at Alabama.

During McCarron’s first season at Alabama, he redshirted. McCarron had limited game time during his first year with the team. His team, however, went on a 14-0 tear to capture the 2009 National Championship. In his freshman year, McCarron threw for 3 touchdowns and passed for 389 yards in 13 games.

In his sophomore season, McCarron started all 13 games for Alabama. In his first game as a starter, he led the team to a 48-7 win. McCarron threw for a touchdown, and two interceptions and passed for 226 yards. McCarron led Alabama for an 11-1 run in the 2011 season. They faced LSU in the National Championship game and McCarron won the BCS National Championship in his first year as a starter. He finished the season with 16 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and passed for 2634 yards.

As a junior, McCarron was a dark horse candidate for the Heisman trophy. McCarron led Alabama to a 13-1 season on their way to the National Championship game. Their only loss came to the then-Heisman Winner Johnny Manziel’s Texas A&M. McCarron’s Alabama faced Everett Golson’s Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship game.

McCarron threw four touchdowns and passed for 264 yards, leading Alabama’s charge in their 42-14 win over Notre Dame. By winning back-to-back National Championships, he became the first QB to win consecutive BCS titles. He won the 2012 CFPA QB award.

McCarron returned for his senior year to Alabama and led the Crimson Tide football team to an 11-2 record. He finished the season with 28 touchdowns, seven interceptions and passed for 3063 yards. McCarron came second in the Heisman Trophy voting.

A. J. McCarron NFL Journey

After his final season at Alabama, McCarron declared for the 2014 NFL Draft. Although touted as a high draft pick, his stock saw a major drop during the squad. The Cincinnati Bengals drafted McCarron in the 5th round as the 164th overall pick.

Cincinnati Bengals (2014-2017)

The Cincinnati Bengals signed McCarron to a four-year deal in 2014. A shoulder soreness sidelined him for six weeks and he was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list. An injury to Vontaze Burfict which placed the LB in injury reserve saw McCarron being activated. The QB did not see significant playing time in his rookie season.

McCarron made his Bengals debut against the divisional opponents Browns in his second season. In his first NFL start against the San Francisco 49ers, McCarron led the Bengals to a 24-14 victory. He threw for 192 yards and a touchdown. This victory made him the first Alabama quarterback to win an NFL game as a starter. McCarron replaced an injured Andy Dalton and made sure to get the dub. The Bengals qualified for the playoffs and faced the Steelers in the AFC Wild Card round. McCarron threw a touchdown and an interception in an 18-16 showdown against the divisional rivals.

In the 2016 NFL season, McCarron laced up for the Bengals only once and did not record any stats. In the 2017 season, he appeared in just three games.

The 2017 season was when the team decided to move off the QB. The Bengals traded McCarron to the Browns in exchange for draft compensation. However, the trade was rejected since the team failed to deliver the paperwork before the deadline. McCarron wanted to become an unrestricted free agent after his contract ended. The QB filed for a grievance against the team and he eventually won it.

Buffalo Bills (2018)

McCarron signed a two-year deal with the Buffalo Bills which was worth $10,000,000 in March 2018. In a preseason game against the Browns, McCarron injured his shoulder. While the initial reports revealed he had a hairline fracture, a second opinion declared there was none. He played the next two preseason games and also led a comeback win against the Bears, throwing for three TDs.

Oakland Raiders (2018-2019)

McCarron was on the move again. The Bills traded the QB in September 2018 to the Raiders for draft picks. McCarron replaced injured Derek Carr in two games in the 2018 season. The franchise then released the QB in March 2019.

Houston Texans (2019-2020)

Within a few days after the Raiders' release, McCarron signed with the Texans on a one-year deal. McCarron made his first start for the Texans against the Titans in the regular season finale. This was his first start since 2015 when he went up against the 49ers. McCarron rushed for 39 yards and scored a TD. He passed for 225 yards and threw an interception. McCarron re-signed with the Texans in 2020.

Atlanta Falcons (2021)

In the year 2021, McCarron and the Atlanta Falcons agreed on a one-year deal. However, things went south pretty quickly during a preseason game against the Dolphins when the QB tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. This injury eventually saw the end of his NFL career as the QB was placed on a season-ending IR.

Cincinnati Bengals (2023)

After being out of the NFL for two years, McCarron was called up to the Bengals practice squad due to Joe Burrow’s calf injury. He is with the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that drafted him, on the practice squad.

A. J. McCarron XFL Journey

The unfortunate exit from the NFL was a blessing in disguise for McCarron. The QB took his time to rehabilitate. In the first season of XFL after the Covid suspension, the St. Louis Battlehawks drafted McCarron.

McCarron took the XFL by storm and showed why he is one of the top QBs in the league. He led the Battlehawks to multiple comeback wins. During the final game against Orlando Guardians in the regular season, McCarron threw a stunning six touchdowns and passed for 420 yards. In his first stint with the Battlehawks, McCarron threw for 2,150 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions.

XFL News Hub named McCarron as the MVP of the league after his stellar performances for the Battlehawks in his first season.

A. J. McCarron Family Background

McCarron’s mother is Dee Dee Bonner. While her profession isn’t known, she has been a regular in attending McCarron’s college games and has been supportive of the QB.

McCarron’s father Tony McCarron works for the Mobile Police and Fire Department. He’s been an influential figure in McCarron’s childhood and with his football career. He has a younger brother Corey McCarron. He also played football at McCarron’s alma mater. After playing tight end at Alabama, McCarron’s younger brother transferred to Middle Tennessee State and played fullback.

A. J. McCarron Wife

McCarron’s wife is Katherine Webb. Webb is a former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and won the Miss Alabama title in 2012.

Katherine Webb first came into the limelight during McCarron’s college game when an ESPN announcer called her “a beautiful woman” and gushed over her on the screen. McCarron and Katherine Webb were a college sweetheart couple and both of them supported each other’s passions and dreams. The two started dating in 2011.

Apart from winning the Miss Alabama title in 2012, Katherine Webb also participated in Miss USA 2012. After going viral during McCarron's championship game, Webb made her modeling debut.

McCarron proposed to Katherine Webb in 2014 and four months later, the couple tied the knot. Webb quit modeling and entertainment after realizing that she hated fame, she once confessed.

Webb is in the business of real estate and also has her own firm Bur:McCarron. She’s also an artist and uses Instagram to share her paintings.

A. J. McCarron Kids

McCarron and Katherine Webb share three beautiful kids. They welcomed their first boy, Raymond Anthony McCarron III, on May 24, 2016. The couple nicknamed their first son as Tripp. The Bengals QB took to social media to announce the weight and height of their first baby, 8 lbs., 1 oz. and 21 1⁄2 inches long.

On 18 December 2018, the McCarrons welcomed their second son Carter. The QB shared that the baby weighed the same and was of the same height as their first one. On 7 April 2021, McCarron’s third son, Gunnar Cruz was born.

He loves his boys and uses them as his motivation to do well on the field. After rehabilitating for the knee injury that he suffered during his Falcons stint, McCarron was rethinking his career choice. But there was a motivating factor for him to continue playing football and that was his kids and them having an opportunity to watch their dad play football.

A. J. McCarron Social Media

McCarron is a baseball dad. The Bengals QB uses his social media to share glimpses of his son’s baseball or more specifically, T-Ball games and titles.

McCarron loves his sons and his social media indicates that. He is always seen practicing with his kids. He also uses his platform to share major career moves and share behind the scenes of his football training and practice.

He has a total of over 493,300 followers, with 435.5k on Twitter and 57,8k on Instagram.

A. J. McCarron Net Worth

McCarron’s net worth is estimated to be around $5 million in 2023. The Bengals QB earned over $15.6 million during his NFL stint and $10 million alone from his Buffalo Bills contract. He took a massive pay cut when he joined the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL.

A. J. McCarron Brand Ambassador

McCarron is reported to have a brand deal with Jack’s, a fast-food chain. The Bengals QB is seen to appear in Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich’s commercials. The monetary details of the endorsement have not been disclosed to the public.

A. J. McCarron Investments

McCarron has been one of the prominent names in the United States of America. He rose to fame when he won consecutive BCS National Championships with Alabama during his college days. And over the years, the QB has built a solid personal brand. The QB might have ventured into different businesses and investments over the years, which have not been made available to the public.

A. J. McCarron Achievements

McCarron has been a solid quarterback, who’s found himself warming the bench as a backup for others. Over the years, he’s racked up so many accolades which often go unnoticed. Here are a few of McCarron’s achievements.

XFL passing touchdowns leader (2023)

XFL passer rating leader (2023)

XFL completion percentage leader (2023)

3× BCS national champion (2010, 2012, 2013)

Maxwell Award (2013)

Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2013)

Kellen Moore Award (2013)

First-team All-American (2013)

2× Second-team All-SEC (2012, 2013)

A. J. McCarron Contract

In September 2023, McCarron signed a one-year contract with the Bengals for $370,800. The QB has been in the NFL long enough and moved across different cities and teams, under various contracts. Over the course of his 9-year NFL career, he has made a total of $15,944,068 through different contracts. Here is a breakdown of McCarron’s NFL contracts.

A. J. McCarron House

The details of McCarron’s house are unknown. However, based on his Instagram posts, it can be assumed that the Bengals QB stays in Alabama. McCarron has revealed in the past that he likes to keep things simple and does not like to live a lavish lifestyle. His family, in McCarron’s own words, are "just normal Southern people."

A. J. McCarron Car

While the details of his current automobile are unknown, McCarron has been someone who likes trucks. Based on his Instagram activity, McCarron has owned multiple trucks in the past - Ford F-150 Raptor and Ford Fx4, and it appears that he has sold both of these for a better vehicle.