A.J. McCarron is not a fan of players wearing microphones in United Football League games, but one of his exchanges with a San Antonio player Saturday proved to be intriguing considering what followed.
Brahmas defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman can be heard telling McCarron after an incomplete pass, 鈥淚鈥檓 going to (blank) you up,鈥 and McCarron responds by dismissing the trash talk with some choice words.
Twyman wasn鈥檛 heard from again, but McCarron had to protect his injured left ankle from other Brahmas as the St. 不良研究所导航网址 Battlehawks won to earn home-field advantage for Sunday鈥檚 conference championship game in a third meeting between the teams.
Two plays in particular raised questions on the St. 不良研究所导航网址 sideline about being excessive or unnecessary.
鈥淚 ain鈥檛 going to comment on that,鈥 McCarron said before commenting. 鈥淚f anybody with a set of eyes was watching the game, they can make their own judgment. It鈥檚 football. If certain guys want to play the game that way, that鈥檚 on them. All I can worry about is what I can control. If you watched the game, it鈥檚 pretty obvious.鈥
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McCarron missed two games with the injury and was clearly limited in his mobility.
The first questionable play came when he scrambled for a run that ended with cornerback Teez Tabor diving and clipping McCarron鈥檚 ankles as he stepped out of bounds.
The second came after a sack as Garrett Nelson made the tackle around McCarron鈥檚 lower legs and then held him on the ground with his hands around his right ankle after the play ended.
鈥淚 played a long time, and I know things happen,鈥 Battlehawks coach Anthony Becht said. 鈥淭here were two specific plays. If you can find me a play in the NFL where a player shoots himself to the lower legs of a quarterback going out of bounds, please show me. And there may have been some extra twisting on certain events.
鈥淎.J. is a tough player. He鈥檚 going to get sacked, and if he gets hit or sacked 10 times, it鈥檚 fine. But it was obvious on two examples in that game. They鈥檙e duly noted.鈥
McCarron will give it a go again at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Dome at America鈥檚 Center, with the winner advancing to the UFL championship game June 16, at the dome.
In last week鈥檚 13-12 win, McCarron had his least efficient game, completing 10 of 24 passes for 115 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was not able to do much running.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a lot, just something I haven鈥檛 had to deal with before, and I鈥檝e got to figure out ways to play with it,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 was just glad to be back. ... I felt great in the first half, then in the second, I didn鈥檛 feel great. But I got some treatment this week, and I think that will help me more.鈥
Becht said McCarron played in the game so that he wouldn鈥檛 be trying to shake off the rust in the conference title game. Offensive coordinator Bruce Gradkowski said he tried to call a normal game but had to give some thought to McCarron鈥檚 limitations.
The injury occurred in the Battlehawks鈥 loss at Birmingham in their seventh game. Manny Wilkins started in his place for two games, getting a win and a loss.
McCarron is 33 years old and spent the 2023 NFL season with Cincinnati. He asked for his release so he could re-sign with the Battlehawks. They are his focus, not what might follow.
鈥淚 want to try to win a championship, and that鈥檚 all I鈥檓 worried about,鈥 McCarron said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not promised anything after this, and I signed up for it. I鈥檓 not going to bail on my teammates. I think the team needs me, so I鈥檒l play through it and then deal with whatever happens after that point.鈥
McCarron will have his family, including his two sons, in attendance at Sunday鈥檚 game now that they have time to travel. Having healed to the extent he has, missing the game is not an option.
He is confident and has the support of Gradkowski, another former NFL quarterback.
鈥淎ny time you miss two weeks, it鈥檚 tough, and you want to get back into a rhythm,鈥 Gradkowski said. 鈥淗e wanted to play last week. He knows what he needs to do to get ready and be better.鈥