NFL great Fran Tarkenton shreds AJ McCarron for Alabama comments

Evidently, Fran Tarkenton is not a fan of AJ McCarron's. Following the former Alabama quarterback's comments about the current state of the Crimson Tide program, the Pro Football Hall of Famer upbraided the three-time BCS champion during an interview on WJOX-FM in Birmingham Wednesday.

“Oh gosh, it’s AJ McCarron,” Tarkenton said. “Did he go to class? Did he make the league or not? He needs to be quiet. He was so fortunate to play in that program. He’s an average quarterback at best. He played fine, but he couldn’t have played anywhere else but Alabama. The 1975 NFL MVP continued, “To make a comment like that is just disrespectful. He should keep his mouth shut and praise Saban and Alabama for the rest of his life.”

Ouch. We're not sure about McCarron's attendance on campus in Tuscaloosa. But Katherine Webb's husband was a fifth-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2014 draft and is currently on the non-football injury list while nursing soreness in his throwing shoulder.

McCarron's thoughts about Nick Saban "handcuffing" offensive coordinators and lack of a true leader in the current Crimson Tide program were also criticized by his former head coach. "I don't know how AJ would really know, but I don't necessarily see that as the case," Saban said during his weekly media teleconference.

Perhaps the 24-year-old quarterback should stick to getting back on the field rather than speculate about the state of his alma mater.