The new Rhode Island UFL team added some championship pedigree.
Three-time national champion quarterback AJ McCarron will be the club’s head coach, the UFL announced on Wednesday morning, Sept. 30. McCarron coached the Birmingham Stallions last year and he’ll bring the Stallions’ roster with him to Rhode Island.
Advertisement
McCarron, alongside Nick Saban, steered Alabama to titles as the starting quarterback in 2011-2012. McCarron also won a title with the Crimson Tide in 2009, but did not appear in any games that season for Alabama. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft and went on to play eight NFL seasons with the Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons.
“New England fans are some of the most passionate fans in all of sports, and that passion is something I’m really excited to experience firsthand,” McCarron said in a statement. “Rhode Island has a proud sports culture and a fan base that appreciates teams that give everything they have every time they step on the field. I’m excited to bring this group to Rhode Island, rally this community around its new team and give these fans a team they can be proud to call their own.”
McCarron also played for the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks and led them to the playoffs in 2024. In 2023, he paced the league in passing touchdowns, completion percentage and passer rating.
Advertisement
“The UFL’s growth is about more than adding teams — it’s about building football communities that fans can connect with from day one,” UFL President & CEO Russ Brandon said. “[McCarron], [Rick Neuheisel] and [Kevin Sumlin] each bring tremendous football experience and a unique connection to the markets they will lead. Pairing them with the returning talent from 2026 rosters, we’re giving fans in Rhode Island, Colorado, and Dallas a strong foundation to support as we continue building professional spring football.”
The Rhode Island team’s name, colors, logos and brand identity will be revealed on Sunday, Oct. 18 at Centreville Bank Stadium, where the team will play five home games in 2027.
Moving the Birmingham team to Rhode Island is part of a larger expansion for the league as Colorado also joined the UFL scene for the upcoming season. The UFL also announced that Oklahoma and Utah will join the league in 2028 for a total of 10 teams.
The soon-to-be-named football club is to play its first home game at 8 p.m. Friday, April 2, at the Pawtucket stadium. The game will be broadcast on FOX UFL Friday, the league’s prime-time weekend slot.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island UFL team adds former Alabama star AJ McCarron as coach
