COLUMN: McCarron miracle sees BattleHawks' record stay perfect

The BattleHawks are 2-0, and they likely couldn’t have done it in a wilder fashion.

After allowing a 60-yard touchdown drive to a Seattle team led by Ben DiNucci, the BattleHawks drove into field goal range down a point and kicker Donny Hageman sent St. Louis home with its second win of the season at the death, winning 20-18.

For the second straight contest, the offense looked little short of miserable. Even after his game-winning kick, Hageman finished making just two of his four field goal attempts. The BattleHawks offense squandered multiple red zone opportunities en route to a win that wasn’t necessarily convincing but proved a point.

The St. Louis defense might just be the best in the league. Ben DiNucci and Josh Gordon, both highly-talented players that have been in the league recently, had significant trouble scoring on the BattleHawks in the second half.

In total, the Sea Dragons scored just six points – all coming on its last drive of the game – outside of the opening 20 minutes, giving the slow but sure St. Louis offense the life it needed to come back into a tight game and emerge with a victory.

While former standout Alabama quarterback and NFL journeyman A.J. McCarron’s time with the BattleHawks has been a series of highs and lows to begin the 2023 season, the fourth-quarter effort from the 32-year-old has found success in late-game scenarios so far.

Last night proved a great display of McCarron’s late-game heroics, as he found wideout Hakeem Butler for a 44-yard, go-ahead touchdown with 7:14 left in the fourth quarter to give the BattleHawks a 17-12 edge before sealing the game with a 50-yard drive ending in Hageman’s field goal to win the game.

Owner Dwayne Johnson refers to the XFL as “the intersection of dreams and opportunity,” and McCarron made headlines following his energetic victory by announcing just what brought him to the league in the first place.

“My six-year-old loves watching tape of me on YouTube,” McCarron said. “That’s a big reason I chose to return this way.

“I probably could’ve tried to come back with an NFL team and had a chance to probably make bigger money, but no one knows what the future holds. I’m enjoying this and it’s a great way to create some memories for me and my boys.”

While BattleHawks fans around the state and beyond rejoice in the electric win from the team, McCarron is just happy to give his kids a chance to watch him play 60 minutes of football on a big stage.