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Battlehawks hope 'Greatest Show On Turf' members inspire playoff push

A St. Louis Rams fan stands outside the Dome at America's Center. Members of the team that won a Super Bowl will be at the Battlehawks game Friday night.
Carolina Hidalgo
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St. Louis Public Radio
A St. Louis Rams fan stands outside the Dome at America's Center. Members of the team that won a Super Bowl will be at the Battlehawks game Friday night.

Members of the Super Bowl XXXIV-winning Rams will be at the Dome at America's Center as the Battlehawks look to make the postseason.

The St. Louis Battlehawks are looking to local football history to inspire a push to the playoffs.

Members of the St. Louis Rams team known as "The Greatest Show on Turf" will return to the Dome at America's Center to be honored at Friday's game against the Columbus Aviators.

Former Rams who will be in attendance include head coach Dick Vermiel, running back Marshall Faulk, guard Adam Timmerman and linebacker Mike Jones.

Wide receiver Ricky Proehl and tackle Jeff Zgonina will also be there, as they are on the Battlehawks coaching staff.

"We're close. We have a group chat. We're a family," Proehl said. "There's so much love for each other, and respect, and to have them come support us, it just shows you what kind of football team and the culture we had back in '99."

The Battlehawks play in the same stadium where the legendary, high-powered offense of the Rams played 25 years ago, but they have yet to reach the same levels of success.

Despite consistently having a winning record and leading the United Football League in attendance, the team has not make it to a championship game.

The Battlehawks are 4-2 this season and play three of their last four games at home. The team also is making a big change for the game against the Aviators. Recent acquisition Luis Perez will be the starting quarterback.

The former member of the Dallas Renegades is looking forward to meeting the former Rams.

"They did what we want to do, what we all want to do, and what we all inspire to do – win Super Bowls," Perez said. "It's awesome to have them there. It's going to be inspiring for sure."

The Battlehawks kick off at 7 p.m. Friday.

Copyright 2026 St. Louis Public Radio

Jonathan Ahl
Jonathan Ahl reports from the Rolla Bureau for St. Louis Public Radio. His duties also include covering central and southern Missouri for Harvest Public Media. Before coming to St. Louis Public Radio in November of 2018, Jonathan was the General Manager for Tri States Public Radio in Macomb, Illinois. He previously was the News Director at Iowa Public Radio and before that at WCBU in Peoria, Illinois. Jonathan has also held reporting positions in central Illinois for public radio stations. Jonathan is originally from the Chicago area. He has a B.A. in Music Theory and Composition from Western Illinois University and an M.A. in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield. He is an avid long distance runner, semi-professional saxophonist and die-hard Chicago Cubs fan.