The 2025 Battlehawks room may have been a season of Two steps forward Three steps back. After making the decision to jettison Two Year starter A.J. McCarron, the Battlehawks went into 2025 with Manny Wilkins, and Max Duggan fighting for the QB1 spot going into the opener. The team also drafted and signed Chevan Cordeiro as a commitment to the "youth-movement" opting not to have Brandon Silvers on the roster going into the season.
The Battlehawks would roster Five different Quarterbacks in 2025, bringing back Brandon Silvers and rostering Trae Self (Stephen F. Austin alum), while dealing with injuries to Manny Wilkins, and Chevan Cordeiro. 4 out of 5 Battlehawk QBs would appear in a game this year the most in the four years of the franchise.
The Battlehawks saw an extremely dynamic Quarterback room, compared to the previous years however, their output in the air was less than optimal compared to the years of A.J. McCarron under center. The Battlehawks leaned on the athletic ability of Quarterbacks Max Duggan, and Manny Wilkins who accounted for 436 rushing yards and 7 rushing TDs. Through the air both Quarterbacks had issues pushing the ball down the field, timing, and overall pocket awareness. Wilkins would tear his achilles possibly putting his career in jeopardy, while Duggan would be benched for Brandon Silvers in the playoffs before a broken scapula knocked Silvers out of the game himself.
With the Battlehawks seemingly trying and needing to get younger it may be safe to assume that Brandon Silvers and Manny Wilkins may not be the first ones to receive a phone call from GM Dave Boller, and HC Anthony Becht going into 2026. The Battlehawks seem to have been extremely supportive with Max Duggan, who led the team to a 5-0 regular season record before his playoff performance. While Duggan has all the "tools and traits" to be successful at a high level, his elongated and abnormal throwing motion has affected his release time, in addition to the quick game that made A.J. McCarron so effective in years past.
The Battlehawks do also roster Chevan Cordeiro, who maybe deserves an extended look this season, after spending the majority of 2025 on injured reserve and as QB3. Cordeiro played in one series during the 2025 season against the D.C. Defenders in Week 10.
While the position isn't on high alert, there is plenty of evidence that the team is limited with Duggan under center. The vertical passing attack, and quick game does take a step back, with the majority of "splash" plays coming from Duggan using his legs, and broken coverages. The team saw what a "humming" offense could look like under Silvers, despite limited opportunities.
The Battlehawks through the air managed to throw for 1,456 and 7 TDs both franchise lows with the exception of the 2020 season, A long cry from the 39 TDs and almost 4k passing yards McCarron put up in 17 games in his Two season in St. Louis.
Coach Becht has stated that the Battlehawks offensive identity mirrors that of Sean McVey and Matt LeFleur led teams, which it appears Duggan or Wilkins cannot provide. The Battlehawks have won 22 games under Head Coach Anthony Becht and it seems that each year the ball has bounced the wrong way for the team.
In 2023, the team narrowly missed the playoffs despite a 7-3 record. In 2024, A.J. McCarron dealt with an ankle injury that hindered his mobility. In 2025, the team made the switch to Brandon Silvers who ultimately, injured his shoulder as the team was moving the ball effectively down the field.
For a team that has the most support in the UFL, and is on the cusp of winning a championship, it is evident that Coach Becht and GM Dave Boller have a lot of work to do, in an effort to bring a championship to the UFL's premiere fan base.