FILE-AJ McCarron #10 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts in the final minutes of their 49-0 over the Chattanooga Mocs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 23, 2013 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
AJ McCarron, a former college football and NFL quarterback, is running for Alabama lieutenant governor.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide standout made the announcement in a video post on Thursday saying in part "Today, Alabama's conservative and cultural values are under attack from every direction. That's why Charlie Kirk's assassination affected so many of us so deeply."
McCarron also refers to himself as a political outsider and shared that he was inspired by the late activist Charlie Kirk to "get off the sidelines," FOX News reported.
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McCarron joins a crowded Republican candidate field that includes Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, and Dr. Nicole Wadsworth in the GOP primary.
Who is AJ McCarron?
The backstory:
AJ McCarron was the quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide, leading the SEC power to national championship titles in 2012 and 2013.
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The Heisman Trophy finalist was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014 and later played for the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, and Atlanta Falcons during his nine-year NFL career.
McCarron currently works as a college football analyst and co-owns McCarron Real Estate, WSFA-TV in Alabama reported.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by WSFA-TV in Alabama and ESPN. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.