A.J. McCarron Campaigns for the Position of Alabama's Lieutenant Governor

It seems as if A.J. McCarron's still pretty open to the idea of calling big plays ... because he just launched his campaign for the position of Alabama's lieutenant governor.

The former quarterback officially announced he'd be tossing his hat -- or helmet -- into the ring for the position, which is up for grabs in 2027, in a video on his campaign's official YouTube account Thursday.

McCarron, running as a Republican, describes himself as an "outsider candidate" ... and claims he'll help push a conservative agenda in Alabama, where right-wing beliefs run deep.

McCarron said the death of Charlie Kirk inspired him to enter politics -- or, in his words, "get off the sidelines."

McCarron was born and raised in Alabama, and he was the University of Alabama football team's quarterback for several years. He helped lead the Crimson Tide to a pair of national championships in 2012 and 2013.

He later played for several teams in the NFL -- including the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans -- and he also had a stint in the XFL, which eventually became the UFL.