PROEHL NAMED HEAD COACH OF BATTLEHAWKS

The United Football League has revealed St. Louis Rams legend Ricky Proehl as the latest head coach of the city’s spring league franchise, the Battlehawks, as successor to Anthony Becht.

Proehl returns to the team where he served as wide receivers coach in 2023, replacing Becht, who was named as the first head coach of the 2026 expansion Orlando Storm last week.

“Ricky Proehl is the perfect fit to step into the shoes of head coach of the St. Louis Battlehawks,” UFL president/CEO Russ Brandon commented. “He has not only achieved greatness on the gridiron as a player and a coach, but he is deeply rooted in The Gateway City, where he was a Super Bowl champion with the Rams and an assistant coach with the Battlehawks.”

A member of ‘The Greatest Show on Turf’, Proehl made the game-winning touchdown catch for the Rams in the 1999 NFC Championship against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then went on to help the team achieve its dramatic 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. He played in three more Super Bowls — with the Rams (XXXVI), Carolina Panthers (XXXVIII) and Indianapolis Colts (Super Bowl XLI) — earning a second ring with the latter. During his 17-year NFL playing career, Proehl was a member of the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals (1990-94), Seattle Seahawks (1995-96) and Chicago Bears (1997), as well as the Rams (1998-2002), Panthers (2003-05) and Colts (2006), making 669 receptions for 8,878 yards and 54 touchdowns as a wide receiver.

“I have so many meaningful and special memories of St. Louis — not only because of the success on the field, but because of the people who made it feel like home,” Proehl recalled. “I valued the opportunity to work alongside Anthony Becht, wish him the very best and am truly honoured to return now as the Battlehawks’ head coach. Since my playing career, my focus has been on developing players and helping them reach the next level. We will continue that commitment as we work to bring another football championship to the best sports town in the country.”

After his playing career, Proehl moved into the coaching ranks with the Carolina Panthers (2011-16), where he helped guide the team to an appearance in Super Bowl 50. Selected in the third round (58th overall pick) of the 1990 NFL Draft by the Cardinals, Proehl was inducted into the Wake Forest Hall of Fame in 2002.