Former St. Louis Battlehawks quarterback AJ McCarron revealed details about his surprise release during an appearance on McCready & Siskey. During the November 18th interview, McCarron discussed the circumstances of his departure from St. Louis, his future playing aspirations, and his strong feelings about how the team handled the announcement.
This announcement shocked UFL fans but seems like it had been building for months. You can listen to the full interview below but McCarron does not hold back. He was not happy with Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht handling of the situation. Here is just some of the things AJ McCarron said.
Release Notification
McCarron shares how he learned about his release from an unexpected source:
“We come home after school, two days later or a day later, and I think it was maybe two. We’re upstairs and Trip comes to me and he’s like, ‘Dad, are you done playing with the Battlehawks?’ I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ And he said, ‘Well, they said that they released you.’ And so that’s how I found out is I saw a post. I was not called, was not warned, was not given an opportunity to put out a post with the team and the organization, like I was told.”
Finding out about your release from your kid has to sting. This wasn’t just a business decision gone wrong – it was personal for McCarron, who clearly expected more professional courtesy from an organization he’d given so much to.
Public Statement Drama
McCarron calls out Becht’s exit statement and its implications for his future:
“I think the funniest part of his quote at the end was making it and players and people a little about him. It’s ‘with respect for AJ that we wanted to provide him a clear path forward as he decides what is next in his football future.’ We’ve already talked, brother. You know I want to play. Don’t make it seem like you’re doing something for me… Reading that makes it sound like you’re leaning towards retiring and that they wanted to make it a clean path for you to make that decision… He knows that’s not the case. He knows I still want to play in the NFL if it’s the right fit.”
This quote gives fans a glimpse of the frustration McCarron felt with how the team tried to control the narrative around his departure. The former MVP clearly took issue with the suggestion he might be considering retirement when he’d explicitly told Becht he wanted to keep playing.
Playing Through Pain
McCarron reveals how he put the team first despite injury concerns:
“Becht knows what I played through, and especially the injury last year when he asked me to play because I wasn’t going to play. I didn’t even talk to him about, ‘Hey, I’m done from playing this year. I’m just going to go back home and get the surgery and get rehab early.’ I stuck it out… I felt like I was due a little more respect with how it went down than what I was shown.”
It’s a stark reminder of how quickly relationships can sour in professional sports, even when players put the team first.
Trade Discussions
McCarron gives us a peek behind the curtain at the trade talks:
“I had multiple coaches that I know in the league that I have respect for, they have respect for me, reach out multiple times. This was probably two months ago, a month ago… ‘Hey, where it is, they’re going to start gearing up to try to trade you out of St. Louis.’ I told them then, I said, ‘Well, to these coaches, I’m not going to be traded. I’m not going to let them decide where I go if that’s the case. I’ll just refuse it.'”
The world of professional football is small – word travels fast. McCarron’s network of coaching contacts kept him informed, allowing him to stay ahead of the team’s plans and maintain control of his future.
Still Playing at a High Level
McCarron pushes back hard against retirement rumors:
“I said, ‘No. I said, I’m 34. My body feels great. Hell, before I had that high ankle sprain last year, later in the season, I felt like I was playing the best ball, moving everything, the best I had done in years.'”
At 34, many players are eyeing the exit. Not McCarron – he’s got the fire and, importantly, the physical ability to keep competing at a high level. That ankle injury seems to be the only thing that slowed him down last season.
Love for St. Louis
Despite the messy breakup, McCarron keeps it classy when discussing St. Louis:
“I absolutely love the city of St. Louis. Unbelievable people, the love for football, passion, the way they treated my family, everybody in the organization, from every coach I got to deal with. I truly had an unbelievable time. The fans were unreal. Some of the best, literally in the country.”
There’s no fake diplomat talk here. McCarron genuinely connected with St. Louis, and that bond with the city and its fans transcends any beef with management.
Future Plans
McCarron isn’t just looking for any team – he wants revenge:
“I’m talking to other teams to see if it’s a good fit. And if there’s anything, if there’s any way possible, I want to come back with a vengeance, and I want to face them twice. I want to go to somebody that faces them twice a year and put it on them.”
Now this is the kind of drama UFL fans live for. McCarron isn’t just motivated to prove he can still play – he wants to do it against his former team, twice a year if possible. That’s the kind of storyline that builds rivalries.
McCarron’s interview pulls back the curtain on what’s been a messy breakup between a star quarterback and one of the UFL’s premier franchises. While his release might have been handled poorly, McCarron’s made two things crystal clear: he’s far from finished playing football, and wherever he lands next, the Battlehawks better watch out.
Want to catch the full interview? Check out McCready & Siskey on their digital platforms.
