St. Louis Battlehawks Coaching Staff

Head Coach

Anthony Becht - One of the three head coaches in the XFL without a ton of coaching reps under his belt, Becht had a long successful career in the NFL and will look to bring that leadership and experience along with his brilliant mind for the game to the coaching ranks. An 11-year career saw him get drafted 27th overall to the Jets. While not being as prolific as his first-round selection put him on track to be, Becht enjoyed a long career thanks to solid blocking abilities. Since his playing career came to an end in 2011, Becht’s only coaching experience that surpassed the high school level was in 2019 when he was the Tight Ends coach for the San Diego Fleet in the AAF. More recently, Becht was the offensive coordinator at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

Offensive Coaches

Supporting Phillips’s offense will be a litany of offensive coaches that comprise:

Offensive Coordinator: Bruce Gradkowski - A former quarterback himself, Gradkowski had a 10-year-long career in the NFL under his belt. After being drafted 194th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, following a strong collegiate career, where he earned GMAC Bowl MVP, Gradkowski became a solid backup throughout his career, getting sporadic appearances but adding solid contributions in his various stints. A career that has seen coaching experience at the high school level, Gradkowski started as a volunteer assistant quarterbacks coach at Anthony Wayne High School before taking on head coaching duties at the St. Francis de Sales School. After serving a year as interim head coach, Gradkowski was made the permanent head coach. In September 2022, Gradkowski was officially hired by the St. Louis Battlehawks as their offensive coordinator.

Tight Ends/Special Teams: Tory Woodbury - A former quarterback and wide receiver himself, Woodbury was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets. Woodbury joined the coaching ranks in 2011 as a Running Backs coach for Delaware State University, before moving to Johnson C. Smith University as an Offensive Coordinator. After a three-year stint as a scout for the Los Angeles Rams, Woodbury became an assistant special teams coach with the Rams in 2020, before transferring to Morgan State University as a Tight Ends coach and Special Teams Coordinator.

Running Backs: Art Valero - Another former Ram, Valero was the running back coach in 2008-09 and led Steven Jackson to some of his more productive seasons. A coaching career that started in 1981, Valero has coached at practically every level, from the NFL to Division One Programs and a stint in The Spring League as well. He earned his most success as a Super Bowl Champion winning a championship with the Bucs as a Tight End Coach in 2002.

Wide Receivers: Ricky Proehl - A Rams legend, Proehl was part of the legendary “The Greatest Show on Turf” team that won a Super Bowl in 1999. Proehl enjoyed a long, 17-year career in the NFL before becoming a coach with the Carolina Panthers for 6 seasons. With a strong playing and coaching career already underneath his belt, Proehl will be looking to further establish his coaching pedigree.

Offensive Line: Pat Perles - The son of former college head coach and architect of the widely recognized “Steel Curtain” George Perles, Pat Perles came into coaching in 1992 with the LA Rams. Working with several college programs over the years, Perles had a six-year stint in the CFL, before becoming familiar with Anthony Becht on the Chiefs from 09-12.

Defensive Coaches

On the defensive side, the Defenders will be employing:

Defensive Coordinator: Donnie Abraham - A strong playing career in the NFL establishing his name, Abraham spent 8 years in the NFL, and was one of the better cornerbacks during his time there. Enjoying a strong 5 seasons with the Buccaneers, Abraham was a member of the All-Rookie Team and earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2000. Immediately following his playing career, Donnie joined the coaching ranks, starting off with high school coaching jobs in Florida, first as a Defensive Backs coach in Tarpon Springs East Lake H.S. before moving into a head coaching position at St. Petersburg Gibbs H.S. Becoming a defensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Storm, he moved to East Lake High School before becoming head coach of the Clearwater High School. He joined the Defensive Backs coaching ranks, first with Illinois, then for the Orlando Apollos. In June 2022, Abraham joined the coaching staff of Anthony Becht with the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Defensive Line: La’Roi Glover - A bonafide legend, Glover is perhaps the most recognizable name in the coaching ranks of the Battlehawks, if not the entire league. A wildly successful career saw him be named to the second-team All-WAC twice, and that became the tip of the iceberg in terms o success for La’Roi. A World Bowl Champion, Glover enjoyed a phenomenal 00’s decade. A member of the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame and the 2000’s All-Decade Team, Glover was the NFL sacks leader in 2000 and was a constant Pro Bow selection in the first half of the 2000s, earning six straight selections. Glover joined the coaching ranks as a Defensive Line Coach for the Jets and the Chargers from 2017-20. On September 13, 2022, Glover was officially hired by the Battlehawks.

Linebackers: Chris Claiborne - Another NFL alum, Claiborne enjoyed a great collegiate career, where he was named an All-American. A first-round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, Chris played professionally for the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, and New York Giants. After a solid playing career that saw him make the All-Rookie Team, Claiborne joined the coaching ranks at the high school level, starting with Calabasas High School before returning to USC’s football team as a quality control analyst, Most recently, he was the Linebackers coach for Arizona State before joining the St. Louis Battlehawks.