Cincinnati Bengals release QB AJ McCarron

The Cincinnati Bengals have announced that they are releasing quarterback AJ McCarron after he made a return to the team for a few games this past season.

Here was that announcement, via the Bengals’ team website:

“The Bengals today released QB AJ McCarron. McCarron, who will be a 10th-year player in 2024, was signed to Cincinnati’s practice squad on Sept. 23, 2023. He then was signed to the active roster on Dec. 4, and played in two games for the Bengals in 2023.”

McCarron threw one pass in the Bengals’ 34-14 win over the Indianapolis Colts, and then came in to complete 3/4 passes in the final game of the season, a 31-14 win over divisional rival Cleveland.

Of course, McCarron was originally signed this season due to injuries to starting quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow struggled with a calf injury to begin the year and was nearly put on IR in the first weeks of the year, but toughed it out and got healthy by midseason only to suffer a different ailment altogether — a wrist injury that ultimately ended his season during the team’s Thursday Night game vs. Baltimore in Week 11.

After that setback, Jake Browning was elevated to the starting role and performed very well given the expectations and his lack of experience ever starting an NFL game. However, to back him up, Cincinnati called on an old friend in AJ McCarron.

He was previously drafted by the Bengals out of Alabama during the Andy Dalton era and, much like Browning, waited his turn until Dalton went down injured during the team’s tremendous 2015 season, thus forcing McCarron to start in the home playoff game in the wildcard round vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, which they lost in heartbreaking fashion.

McCarron’s audition as Cincy’s starter was still generally successful and he landed some backup jobs at other stops such as Houston, Oakland and Buffalo, but had last appeared in an NFL game during the 2020 season. Now, he’s back on the open market, and it’s very possible he’s seen the last of his NFL action. But if so, that would end a terrific football career at all levels, especially during his time with the Crimson Tide.

During his legendary ‘Bama career, McCarron tossed for just over 9,000 total passing yards and was the starting quarterback for Nick Saban’s only back-to-back national title winners in 2012 and 2013.