Politics

Iconic College Football Star Launches Run For Office As Republican

Published

1 month ago

October 23, 2025

jake

Former Alabama and NFL quarterback AJ McCarron is trading football for politics, announcing Thursday he’ll run as a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor in the 2026 election.

“Alabama’s conservative and cultural values are under attack from every direction,” McCarron said in a statement. “That’s why Charlie Kirk’s assassination affected so many of us so deeply. His example convinced me to get off the sidelines, get into the game, and stand tall for our conservative beliefs. So today, I’m announcing my candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Alabama.”

The Mobile native said he’s running to challenge what he called “Montgomery insiders and career politicians.”

“The Montgomery insiders and career politicians have had their chance. It’s time for political newcomers and outsider candidates like me to lead the battle,” McCarron said. “When Coach Tuberville is governor, I’ll be the quarterback who helps pass his conservative outsider agenda.”

QB AJ McCarron – Bengals at Redskins 8/27/17

McCarron, 35, starred at Alabama under coach Nick Saban, leading the Crimson Tide to back-to-back national championships in 2011 and 2012. He threw for 9,019 yards, 77 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, becoming one of the most successful quarterbacks in school history.

He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014 and spent time with several NFL teams before retiring in 2023.

Now McCarron is making the case that his leadership on the field can translate to public office. Whether Alabama voters agree will be decided in 2026, but early polling suggests he has a real shot.

A survey from Quantus Insights, a top-rated polling firm in the 2024 cycle, showed McCarron in second place in the race for the Republican nomination even before he had launched his campaign.