AJ McCarron heard the roar of the crowd as a state-championship quarterback at St. Paul's and at the helm of the offense for two BCS national-championship teams at Alabama. He's heard the fans' cheers in the NFL, too, even though his designation as a pro has been backup QB.
McCarron joined the Cincinnati Bengals as a fifth-round choice in the 2014 NFL Draft. He spent most of his rookie season dealing with a shoulder problem and didn't play – not even in the preseason. Last season, he served as Andy Dalton's backup.
McCarron had appeared during mop-up time in three lopsided wins earlier in the 2015 when Dalton suffered a broken thumb against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec.