St. Louis Battlehawks wide receiver Marcell Ateman is preparing for his second season catching passes from AJ McCarron. And with the Battlehawks one week away from their United Football League season-opening game, Ateman said the quarterback is ready to play.
“We’re on the same page with AJ,” Ateman said. “AJ’s clicking. He’s had a fire camp. He’s looked great. A lot of the receivers, all of us really, have been clicking.”
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McCarron rejuvenated his football career last season with St. Louis as he led the XFL in touchdown passes, completion percentage and passing-efficiency rating. That helped send the former Alabama All-American back to the NFL. But after spending the 2023 season with the Cincinnati Bengals, McCarron got an early release from his contract to join the Battlehawks for training camp.
Now in the United Football League, St. Louis opens its season against the Michigan Panthers at 3 p.m. CDT March 30 at Ford Field in Detroit. FOX will televise the game.
During his NFL career, McCarron has worked with six head coaches and eight offensive coordinators.
“AJ is so knowledgeable about the game,” Ateman said. “He knows football. He knows the X’s and O’s. He takes the room to a higher level because of his football IQ, being able to change the protection, being able to put us in right play when he sees the defense. He’s seen so much football. He’s seen so many different coverages and looks, so he’s able to put guys in the right position to execute the right play at the right time.
“And he’s just letting the ball rip this camp. It’s been on the money with his timing, with his delivery. The way he’s stepping up and speaking to the guys and the way he’s carrying it, he’s the leader of our room and we follow him. We have high expectations of him. We know he’s going to do well, but he’s been on it all camp. Having a veteran like that in the room does nothing but help us get better as an offense and players individually.”
In addition to Ateman, St. Louis’ wide receivers include Hakeem Butler and Darrius Shepherd, who were All-XFL selections last season for the Battlehawks.
“I feel like just another year in the offense has been great for us,” Ateman said. “We’re only adding more now. Being able to have that timing having a year under our belt. …
“We had a fast start to this training camp.”
Since last season, the XFL and the USFL merged into one spring-football league. Four franchises from each eight-team league survived into the United Football League. St. Louis and the Arlington Renegades, D.C. Defenders and San Antonio Brahmas from the XFL and Michigan, Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers (renamed the Roughnecks) and Memphis Showboats from the USFL form the roster for the United Football League.
“We’re trying to win it all,” Ateman said on Thursday. “The expectation should be nothing but win it all. …
“We’ve got a strong, veteran group of guys. Guys that have been around, played in a lot of places, know football. The football IQ is really high, so I think that’s what helps us the most. We don’t have a lot of young guys. We have a lot of returners. A lot of guys that have been in the XFL, been in other places. But Year 2 in that scheme, we have high expectations to go win it all.”
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.