Jake Leonard 
ST. LOUIS — The offensive coordinator position with the United Football League’s (UFL) St. Louis Battlehawks became open. The Battlehawks front office announced in a press release Tuesday announcing the departure of Battlehawks offensive coordinator Bruce Gradkowski.
Gradkowski was rumored for several weeks to be scouted for a position with the NFL’s Detroit Lions. The press release confirmed that initial rumor.
Gradkowski spent the past two seasons with the Battlehawks organization. He would guide the team to a conference-best 260 points scored in the 2024 campaign. Under his tenure, the Battlehawks also had the second-highest-scoring offense with 25.4 points per game.
The Battlehawks offensive coordinator has been the subject of criticism. He has faced criticism among the St. Louis sports community involving mistakes and blown calls made during the 2023 XFL and 2024 UFL seasons.
Gradkowski played in the NFL for 11 seasons, with his longest stint being with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a practice squad player in 2008 with the then-St. Louis Rams.
After coaching high school football for three seasons, he was hired as an offensive analyst for the University of Toledo.
In 2023, the Battlehawks hired Gradkowski as an offensive coordinator as the then-XFL was preparing to relaunch for its 2023 season. The 2023 season marked a third league revival after operations were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lions hired Gradkowski as an offensive assistant on February 6, according to NBC Sports.
“My congratulations to Bruce. He did a phenomenal job for our football team and has been an integral part of my success as a head coach,” said Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht. “As a former teammate and working alongside him these past two seasons, I’ve had an up-close look at his ability and work ethic. Bruce absolutely deserves this opportunity, and he is going to do great things in Detroit.”
The news release from the Battlehawks front office did not indicate an immediate search for Gradkowski’s replacement.
Requests for comment by Ambush Sports and our media partners at Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network regarding the search for Gradkowski’s replacement were not returned before publication.
The Battlehawks will kick off its second season of UFL action on Friday, March 28 on the road against the Houston Roughnecks at Space City Financial Stadium (formerly known as TDECU Stadium).
Their home opener will be the first of two home games against the San Antonio Brahmas on Sunday, April 6 inside The Dome at America’s Center. The scheduling involving the Brahmas comes as their home base at the Alamodome enters another phase of renovations in late spring.
