MOBILE, AL (WALA) –
Some young Crimson Tide fans spent their day playing football with their favorite quarterback. Three-time national champion and now NFL quarterback AJ McCarron came back to his home turf to host a football camp Saturday.
Yes, it was hot…but for the love of Alabama football and AJ McCarron, more than 400 kids hit the field at Baker High School Saturday morning. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, former Tide star, and Mobile native hosted this camp to give back, something he says he’s thankful he can do.
“It’s awesome to see the kids smile, have fun, and come out here and have a blast playing football.”
Coaches say McCarron’s presence influences the kids a lot more than he thinks.
“When they come around a bunch of coaches, people like AJ McCarron and his staff…they need some positive reinforcement. Unfortunately we live in a world that’s not good sometimes, if they can be around men that work hard and see guys in a positive influence, you know tough love, get on it, and show them what’s right, discipline, responsibility, you know, kids want that,” says Baker High School head football coach, Danny Smith.
As the players rotated from station to station bright and early Saturday morning, McCarron says his main message has nothing to do with football.
“I think the biggest thing we try to preach and talk to them today is, you know, school, get your education, because when you have a degree they can’t take that away from you,” says McCarron.
He says he plans on doing the camp again next year. This was the second time McCarron hosted a camp in Mobile. The camp is in partnership with McCarron’s agency, the NFL Foundation, USA Football, and Baker High School.
