It’s a rocky start for Alabama football in year two under Kalen DeBoer. Following the Crimson Tide’s loss to Florida State this past Saturday, a former quarterback has raised questions about NIL funding for the program. AJ McCarron on the McCready and Siskey Podcast said the team is falling behind in the arms race.
“You look at these other teams that have $40-50 million in NIL,” McCarron said. “Alabama — and I know this for a fact, talking to multiple people in the program — Alabama has less than $20 million in their NIL.”
AJ McCarron on @McCreadySiskey: “You look at these other teams that have $40-50 million in NIL. Alabama — and I know this for a fact, talking to multiple people in the program — Alabama has less than $20 million in their NIL.”
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) September 2, 2025
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This comes following an ugly defeat for the Tide. FSU ran away with a 31-17 win at home before fans emptied the stands to storm the field. Despite the complaints about what NIL funding seems to be in Tuscaloosa, Alabama entered the year with one of the best rosters in the country. According to CBS, the Tide are tied with Ohio State with the best ‘blue-chip ratio’ in the country at 89%.
If you’re curious, Tennessee’s blue-chip ratio sits at 54%. This is above the line of 50% to theoretically give a team a fighting chance to win a national title.
McCarron, the former quarterback who raised these questions, played for Alabama from 2009-13 under Nick Saban. He was a third-team and first-team All-American in his career and won three national championships, including two as the starting signal caller.
McCarron went on to be drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He bounced around the league, struggling to fully find his footing, before dominating in the XFL in recent years.
