St. Louis Battlehawks Coaching staff: Who is coaching the XFL contenders?

Modified Mar 13, 2023 20:01 GMT

St Louis Battlehawks v San Antonio Brahmas — Anthony Becht, coach of the St. Louis Battlehawks

The St. Louis Battlehawks are entering the 2023 XFL season with a chip on their shoulders as they look forward to competing for major honors. They will be aided in their quest by a top-notch playing cast and some impressive coaches on their bench.

Here, we will showcase the head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator of the Battlehawks to the less informed. Mind you, these are household names in American football, and they will add flair to the XFL. We will also highlight and briefly mention other Battlehawks coaches. So, without much ado, let's look at the men behind the scenes of the St. Louis machine.

Who is the head coach of St. Louis Battlehawks?

Anthony Becht is the head coach of the St. Louis Battlehawks, and this is his first head coach gig at a major American football league.

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Becht joins the league from Wiregrass Ranch High School, where he was the Offensive coordinator. He has built quite a reputation at the high school level, ensuring that potential NFL stars learn the basics from a very young age.

Speaking of the NFL, Becht played in the National Football League for 11 years and played 152 consecutive NFL games at some point. He played for NFL franchises like the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs.

When he retired from the NFL, he earned some analyst gigs at ESPN before he accepted the call to coach at the high school level. His head coach gig with the Battlehawks will be his first test at this level.

Who is the Offensive Coordinator of the St. Louis Battlehawks?

Bruce Gradkowski is the resident offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Battlehawks and is pretty good at it.

Like head coach Anthony Becht, Gradkowski had a long and fulfilling career in the National Football League before retiring and focusing on coaching. He appeared for NFL franchises like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. That culminated in a ten-year Pro Football career.

As a coach, he has served as an offensive coordinator on the likes of Anthony Wayne High School (QB coach) and St. Francis de Sales School (first as interim head coach and then as the head coach proper). He took up the offensive coordinator job at the Battlehawks in 2022, and we will be closely watching his effect on the team's offense.

Who is the Defensive Coordinator of the St. Louis Battlehawks?

Completing a major core of coaches with NFL experience is Donnie Abraham, the current defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Battlehawks. Abraham is a former Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback that played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets during his NFL career.

As a coach, he has occupied head coach roles at St. Petersburg (FL) Gibbs High School and Clearwater (FL) High School. He has also occupied various defensive coaching roles at the likes of Tarpon Springs (FL) East Lake High School, Tampa Bay Storm, Tampa Bay Storm, Illinois University, Orlando Apollos, and now the St. Louis Battlehawks.

Hisuld prove instrumental for the Battlehawks, as they aim to bring silverware to St. Louis in quite some time