St. Louis Battlehawks Head Coach Anthony Becht returns for his third season after leading the team to a 7-3 record and the XFL Conference playoff game last year. In 2023, the Battlehawks also finished 7-3, which was tied for the second-best record in the XFL.

Selected in the first round (27th overall) by the New York Jets in the 2000 NFL Draft, Becht played 11 seasons at tight end in the NFL, also spending time with Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Arizona, and Kansas City. From 2000 to 2010, he played in 152 consecutive games - the third longest streak in the NFL over that time period behind only Brett Favre and Peyton Manning.

Following his playing career, Becht worked as a college football analyst for ESPN and hosted the New York Jets pregame show before being promoted to their radio color analyst in 2024. He also coached Tight Ends in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl before accepting the same position with the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football in 2018.

A graduate of West Virginia, Becht was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2024. He received the John Russell Award and was named the Mountaineer’s Most Valuable Player in 1999. Becht also served as a Trust Captain for the NFLPA Trust from 2015-20 and remains Legends Community Southeast Coordinator.