AJ McCarron, former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and Mobile native, will run for statewide office in 2026, sources close to his decisionmaking process tell Yellowhammer News.

While he has not yet announced a campaign or filed papers to make his bid official, he is preparing to run either for Lieutenant Governor or U.S. Senate.

McCarron, 34, led Alabama to back-to-back national championships as the starting quarterback in 2011 and 2012. He spent parts of nine seasons in the NFL, including with the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2024 started for the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks.

Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, elected first in 2018, is term limited in the role.

In the open 2026 field, Rick Pate, who is also term-limited in his position as Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries, as well as Wes

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