Anthony Becht
Encyclopedia
Anthony G. Becht is an American football
tight end
for the Kansas City Chiefs
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the New York Jets
27th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at West Virginia
. He has Swedish relatives, brother Francis and nephew Carl and Elsa.
Becht has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and St. Louis Rams
, and Arizona Cardinals
.
in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
, was 6'5" and 205 pounds coming out of high school
. Becht was an all-city, all-Catholic conference and all-county selection as a senior after recording 47 receptions for 693 yards. Becht accepted a football scholarship from West Virginia
.
in 2000
for the Jets, Becht played in 14 games, missing two due to an ankle sprain. He was a starter
for 10 games and totaled 16 receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns on the season. Becht ranked third among the rookie tight ends with receptions, behind Green Bay's
Bubba Franks
and Cleveland's
Aaron Shea
.
In 2001
, Becht started all 16 games and recorded 36 receptions for 321 yards and five TDs. He tied former Jets'
tight end Kyle Brady
for the most receptions by an AFC
tight end. His five scores were only beat by Colts'
Marcus Pollard
and Chiefs'
Tony Gonzalez. Becht recorded consecutive game-winning touchdown catches in weeks 13 and 14.
In 2002
, Becht once again starter all 16 games and tallied 28 receptions, 243 yards, and a career-high tying five scores. Becht caught one pass for eight yards and served as a key blocker in the 41-0 win over the Colts in the AFC Wild Card playoff game and recorded three receptions for 14 yards in the AFC Divisional Playoff loss at Oakland
.
In 2003
, Becht set career-highs of 40 receptions for 356 yards and he included four TD catches while starting all sixteen games once again. Becht caught a career-best six passes, including a one-yard touchdown, and gained 32 yards at Miami
in the season finale.
As his final season as a Jet in 2004
, Becht had a career-low 13 receptions, for also lows of 100 yards and only 1 touchdown. He did manage to catch a touchdown pass in the Jets Wild Card win over the San Diego Chargers
. In New York
, Becht totaled 1,146 yards receiving with 17 touchdowns off of 133 receptions.
, Becht recorded 16 receptions, much like his rookie year, 112 yards but no touchdowns as his career began to slide downward. Becht competed with rookie Alex Smith
for the tight end spot, who the Bucs picked up in the 2005 NFL Draft
.
In 2006
, Becht saw himself being replaced by the rookie, Smith. Still, Becht grabbed 18 receptions for 115 yards and a score, from mainly rookie Bruce Gradkowski
.
In 2007, Becht's productivity decreased even more. He finished the season with only 5 receptions for 20 yards and 2 touchdowns.
. Becht joined fellow-former Mountaineers
Marc Magro
and Marc Bulger
on the Rams squad. Becht played one season with the team before his release on March 12, 2009.
on March 19, 2009. In the 2009-2010 season, Becht had 61 yards on 10 catches, averaging 6.1 yards per catch. He also had one receiving Touchdown. On September 3, 2010 Becht was released as part of final cuts for the 2010 NFL Season.
on August 25, 2011, but was released on September 5. The Chiefs re-signed him on September 16. Becht was released by the Chiefs again, so there could be room for tight end Jake O'Connell
. On October 26, he was signed once again, by the Chiefs.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
27th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
. He has Swedish relatives, brother Francis and nephew Carl and Elsa.
Becht has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
and St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, and Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Becht, a graduate of Monsignor Bonner High SchoolMonsignor Bonner High School
Monsignor Bonner High School is an all-male Augustinian Catholic High School in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is located in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, United States. Bonner was created in 1953 as Archbishop Prendergast High School for Boys...
in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Drexel Hill is a census-designated place in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located southwest of Center City, Philadelphia and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area...
, was 6'5" and 205 pounds coming out of high school
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
. Becht was an all-city, all-Catholic conference and all-county selection as a senior after recording 47 receptions for 693 yards. Becht accepted a football scholarship from West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
.
College career
At the end of Becht's college career, he ranked second among tight ends at the school with 83 catches for 1,173 yards, a 14.1 average of yards per catch, and 10 touchdowns. Becht was an honorable mention for All-American as a senior and was named second-team All-Big East as a junior and senior, along with being team captain and MVP. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing.New York Jets
Becht was selected by the Jets with a traded draft pick from Tampa Bay. As a rookieRookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
in 2000
2000 New York Jets season
-Schedule:The Jets were ranked 12th in the NFL in total offense and finished tied with Philadelphia for 10th in total defense.-Best performances:* Curtis Martin, Week 14, 203 Rushing Yards vs. Indianapolis...
for the Jets, Becht played in 14 games, missing two due to an ankle sprain. He was a starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
for 10 games and totaled 16 receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns on the season. Becht ranked third among the rookie tight ends with receptions, behind Green Bay's
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
Bubba Franks
Bubba Franks
Daniel Lamont "Bubba" Franks is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 14th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
and Cleveland's
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Aaron Shea
Aaron Shea
Aaron T. Shea is a former American football tight end of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
.
In 2001
2001 New York Jets season
The 2001 New York Jets season was the 42nd season for the team, and the 32nd in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 9–7 record from 2000. Under new head coach Herman Edwards, the team finished 10–6 and qualified for the final Wild Card position in the American Football...
, Becht started all 16 games and recorded 36 receptions for 321 yards and five TDs. He tied former Jets'
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
tight end Kyle Brady
Kyle Brady
Kyle James Brady is a former professional American football player. He played tight end for 13 seasons in the National Football League for the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots. He was the Jets' first round draft choice in the 1995 NFL Draft...
for the most receptions by an AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
tight end. His five scores were only beat by Colts'
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
Marcus Pollard
Marcus Pollard
Marcus LaJuan Pollard is a former American football tight end.-College career:Pollard attended Bradley University, where he played basketball. Bradley did not have a football program at the time he matriculated there...
and Chiefs'
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
Tony Gonzalez. Becht recorded consecutive game-winning touchdown catches in weeks 13 and 14.
In 2002
2002 New York Jets season
The 2002 New York Jets season was the 43rd season for the team, and the 33rd in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record from 2001...
, Becht once again starter all 16 games and tallied 28 receptions, 243 yards, and a career-high tying five scores. Becht caught one pass for eight yards and served as a key blocker in the 41-0 win over the Colts in the AFC Wild Card playoff game and recorded three receptions for 14 yards in the AFC Divisional Playoff loss at Oakland
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
In 2003
2003 New York Jets season
The 2003 New York Jets season was the 44th season for the team, and the 34th in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 9–7 record from 2002 and defend its AFC East title. The Jets finished the season with a record of 6–10....
, Becht set career-highs of 40 receptions for 356 yards and he included four TD catches while starting all sixteen games once again. Becht caught a career-best six passes, including a one-yard touchdown, and gained 32 yards at Miami
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the season finale.
As his final season as a Jet in 2004
2004 New York Jets season
The 2004 New York Jets season saw the team try to improve on its 6–10 2003 record. The Jets started the season by winning their first five games, which was a franchise record. They ultimately finished 10–6, and clinched the fifth seed in the playoffs, reaching the postseason for the third time in...
, Becht had a career-low 13 receptions, for also lows of 100 yards and only 1 touchdown. He did manage to catch a touchdown pass in the Jets Wild Card win over the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Becht totaled 1,146 yards receiving with 17 touchdowns off of 133 receptions.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In his first year in Tampa Bay in 20052005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2005 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on their 5-11 record in 2004. Carnell Williams won rookie of the year....
, Becht recorded 16 receptions, much like his rookie year, 112 yards but no touchdowns as his career began to slide downward. Becht competed with rookie Alex Smith
Alex Smith (tight end)
Edwin Alexander "Alex" Smith , is an American football tight end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
for the tight end spot, who the Bucs picked up in the 2005 NFL Draft
2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
.
In 2006
2006 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2006 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season began with the team trying to improve on their 11-5 record in 2005.-Summary:After winning the division in 2005, the Buccaneers suffered through an abysmal 2006 season...
, Becht saw himself being replaced by the rookie, Smith. Still, Becht grabbed 18 receptions for 115 yards and a score, from mainly rookie Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Gradkowski
Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...
.
In 2007, Becht's productivity decreased even more. He finished the season with only 5 receptions for 20 yards and 2 touchdowns.
St. Louis Rams
On March 6, 2008 he signed with the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
. Becht joined fellow-former Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
Marc Magro
Marc Magro
Marc Anthony Magro is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
and Marc Bulger
Marc Bulger
Marc Robert Bulger [] is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....
on the Rams squad. Becht played one season with the team before his release on March 12, 2009.
Arizona Cardinals
Becht signed with the Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 19, 2009. In the 2009-2010 season, Becht had 61 yards on 10 catches, averaging 6.1 yards per catch. He also had one receiving Touchdown. On September 3, 2010 Becht was released as part of final cuts for the 2010 NFL Season.
Kansas City Chiefs
Becht signed with the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on August 25, 2011, but was released on September 5. The Chiefs re-signed him on September 16. Becht was released by the Chiefs again, so there could be room for tight end Jake O'Connell
Jake O'Connell
Jake Nicholas O'Connell Jake Nicholas O'Connell Jake Nicholas O'Connell (born November 6, 1985 in Naples, Florida is an American football tight end who is currently a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football at Miami University...
. On October 26, he was signed once again, by the Chiefs.