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AJ McCarron is Still Scarred From Alabama's 'Skinny Camp'

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Alec Musa | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 3:43 PM ET

In 2009, the Alabama Crimson Tide inked four-star quarterback AJ McCarron to a scholarship. McCarron would go on to become one of the most decorated players to ever don the crimson and gray, winning three BCS titles and earning two All-SEC nods.

However, before McCarron became the offensive leader for the Tide, he arrived in Tuscaloosa at six-foot-three but just 195 pounds. This week, McCarron shared his personal horror story of how he reached his playing weight of well over 210 pounds.

Under the tutelage of head coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide took pride in their players' weight management. While some were destined to have early morning workouts and trips to the sauna, others, such as McCarron and wide receiver Kenny Bell, participated in "skinny camp."

"Every morning, me and Kenny Bell ate a jar of peanut butter. We had to finish it. Every morning. There were no days off. You could put it in a protein shake, put it in PB&Js, you could just grab a spoon and just eat, but you had to finish a jar of peanut butter each morning," said McCarron during a segment of the Dynasty Podcast.

He continued, saying, "I ended up getting to about 200 pounds by the end of the season, but it ruined me from peanut butter."

The offseason routine paid dividends, with McCarron reaching a weight that kept him upright during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons. He started 40 games during that stretch, throwing 74 touchdowns and leading Alabama to two national titles.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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