A former North Carolina A&T defensive star, has signed with the New Orleans Saints, according to a team release on Thursday. McCain joins the Saints after spending last season with the Carolina Panthers.
According to SaintsWire, the Saints have cut cornerback Faion Hicks, who was a backup on last year’s practice squad. As a result, they need someone to cover snaps during training camp next month. McCain will have to battle for playing time with some of the Saints’ other excellent defensive backs.
During his tenure at North Carolina A&T, he played in 20 games, recording 113 tackles (66 solo), 8 interceptions, 22 pass breakups, and 30 pass deflections. He also racked up 374 interception yards over his career and was a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award in 2019. Additionally, McCain is the grandson of Franklin McCain, one of the Greensboro Four. This group of North Carolina A&T students famously participated in the 1960 Woolworth lunch-counter sit-in, a significant event in the Civil Rights Movement.
McCain went undrafted in 2021 but signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent, later joining the Philadelphia Eagles after being waived. He made his debut for the Eagles in week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, playing 13 special teams snaps in a 41-21 loss. He also played in the Eagles’ 21-18 loss to the Carolina Panthers in week 5, which featured another former Aggie, Panthers’ defensive lineman Darryl “DJ” Johnson Jr.
The Eagles released McCain on November 9, 2021, but he rejoined the team on a reserve/future deal on January 18, 2022. He remained with the team through the 2022 season and played in Super Bowl 57 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Among the active Super Bowl lineup, he and his teammate Javon Hargrave were two of the four HBCU alumni.
McCain aims to make a significant impact and become the next NFL star from North Carolina A&T. In a pre-draft interview with the Washington Post in 2021, he expressed his determination to succeed in the NFL.
“I’ve been overlooked my whole life or put on the back burner,” McCain said. “But every time I got an opportunity, I capitalized on it. I know when that one NFL team gives me a chance, I’m going to get everything I came for out of it.”
Welcome to New Orleans, Mac McCain 🫡 pic.twitter.com/DKsY20AijQ
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) June 20, 2024
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