Throwback Thursday? AJ McCarron, Memphis Showboats Both Back: All Things CW

The All Things CW notes column by Christopher Walsh will appear in five parts this week, one each day as the Alabama Crimson Tide prepares to host Austin Peay.

This is ...

Take 3

We interrupt the playoff chase to do a little throwback talk, as both a former Alabama quarterback and a professional franchise that many Alabama Crimson Tide fans were familiar with have re-emerged the football world. 

We'll start with the player.

Dwayne Johnson has been saying “Don’t call it a comeback” for the XFL, but that's exactly what AJ McCarron is trying to do in the XFL 3.0, which is set to return shortly after the Super Bowl is played.

Earlier this week, McCarron was drafted by the St. Louis Battlehawks, where he will compete with former Virginia Tech quarterback Ryan Willis to be the starting quarterback. 

McCarron is 32. The three-year starter at Alabama from 2011-13 was selected in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft and spent four seasons as a backup with the Cincinnati Bengals. He's also had a cup of coffee with the Bills, Raiders, Texans and Falcons.  

For his NFL career, McCarron's played in 17 games and completed 109 of 174 attempts for 1,173 yards, with six touchdowns and no interceptions.  

However, he hasn't played in the NFL since Aug. 21, 2021, when he tore the ACL in his right knee during a Falcons preseason game.

"AJ brings us a championship pedigree," Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht said. "He has seven years of NFL experience as a starting and backup quarterback. Unfortunately, A.J. battled through several injuries during that time which limited him from playing additional games. 

"I feel like his time is now. A.J. will bring a very high football IQ, great leadership qualities, and invaluable experience to the St. Louis Battlehawks team."

A lot of times when quarterbacks feel like they never really got a chance to really show what they can do in the NFL there's a lingering "What if?" itch that never seems to go away. Here's hoping that at minimum McCarron can scratch it. 

Also selected this week were offensive lineman Chris Owens by the Seattle Sea Dragons and defensive lineman Joshua Frazier by the Orlando Guardians. 

The draft was primarily done by positions, so it didn't follow the traditional round-by-round process. Players who participated in the USFL last year remain under contract to that league, so were not available. 

Speaking of the USFL, the Memphis Showboats have officially risen and will again play at Liberty Stadium. The  league announced the inaugural game will be played on April 16, 2023.

“We’re home,” USFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Daryl Johnston said when making the announcement.