Kevin Gilbride is in his fifth full season as the Giants’ offensive coordinator after serving the previous three years as the team’s quarterbacks coach. Gilbride assumed play-calling duties from former coordinator John Hufnagel prior to the 2006 regular season finale in Washington.
The 2011 season is Gilbride’s 37th in coaching and 22nd in the National Football League.
With Gilbride devising game plans and calling plays, the Giants’ offense has consistently been among the most productive in the NFL. The unit was ranked seventh, eighth and fifth in the league, respectively, in the last three seasons, the first time it placed in the Top 10 in three consecutive seasons since 1970 (fifth), 1971 (10th) and 1972 (fourth).
In 2010, the Giants gained a franchise-record 6,085 yards, the first 6,000-yard season in their history. The previous record was 5,884 yards in 1985. The Giants scored 48 touchdowns – every one of them by the offense - which was tied for the third-highest total in team history. They scored 57 touchdowns in 1963, 49 in 1962 and ‘67 and 48 in 1985.
The Giants’ 331 first downs were the third-highest total in franchise history and they led the league by averaging 6.57 yards on first down. Their 339 pass completions – all by Eli Manning – were the second-most the Giants have ever had, behind only the 350 completions in 1999. The team’s 62.9 completion percentage was a team record, besting the 62.4 percentage set in 2009. The Giants’ 3,885 net passing yards were the third-highest total in team history.
The Giants had 80 scrimmage plays of 20 or more yards (58 passes, 22 runs), tying them with the Philadelphia Eagles for the highest total in the NFL. Their 14 touchdown passes of 20-plus yards led the league.
Gilbride’s unit was also productive on the ground, where the Giants were one of only two teams with a pair of backs who rushed for more than 800 yards apiece in Ahmad Bradshaw (1,235 yards) and Brandon Jacobs (823). The only other team to have two 800-yard rushers was Kansas City, with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones.
In 2009, the Giants scored 402 points after scoring 425 in 2008, marking the first time in franchise history they scored at least 400 points in consecutive seasons. The Giants gained 5,856 yards, then the second-highest total in franchise history. In addition, they set a franchise record with 4,019 net passing yards, the first 4,000-yard season in team history. The old record of 3,951 was set in 2002. The Giants had 62 pass plays of 20 or more yards, which left them tied for fifth in the NFL.
Under Gilbride, the offense posted many impressive numbers in 2008, when it ranked seventh in the NFL with an average of 355.9 yards a game. The Giants’ 427 points and 338 first downs were both the second-highest totals in franchise history. They rushed for NFL-leading and franchise record numbers of 2,518 yards and 5.0 yards per carry. The previous records were 2,451 yards in 1985 and 4.7 yards an attempt in 2005 and 2006. The Giants rushed for 301 yards in an overtime victory over Carolina on Dec. 21, the fifth-highest total in team history and their highest total in 49 years.
That season, Jacobs rushed for 1,089 yards and Derrick Ward ran for 1,025 to become the fourth pair of backs from the same team – and the fifth set of teammates – to run for at least 1,000 yards in the same season.
Gilbride has worked closely with Manning throughout the quarterback’s career. Manning finished the 2010 season with 339 completions on 539 attempts (62.9 percent) for 4,002 yards, 31 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. The 339 completions and 62.9 completion percentage were both franchise single-season records. Manning’s 539 passes were the second-highest total of his career and the fourth-highest total in Giants history. His 31 touchdown passes placed him fourth in the NFL, were the third-highest total in Giants history and the most by a Giants quarterback in 47 years. Y.A. Tittle threw 36 in 1963 and 33 in 1962. Manning’s 4,002 yards were the fifth-highest total in the NFL. He was one of a record 22 quarterbacks to throw for more than 3,000 yards in 2010. Manning is the first Giants quarterback with two 4,000-yard seasons.
Manning is the only quarterback in Giants history with six consecutive 3,000-yard seasons and six consecutive seasons with 20 touchdown passes. Manning is one of three quarterbacks to throw for at least 3,000 yards every season from 2005-10. The others are Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. He is one of three quarterbacks with at least 20 touchdown passes in each of the last six seasons, joining Brees and Peyton Manning.
Gilbride designed the attack and called the plays when the Giants won four games, including Super Bowl XLII, in the 2007 postseason.
Gilbride joined the Giants as the team’s quarterbacks coach on Jan. 26, 2004. He was reunited with Tom Coughlin, for whom he worked as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first offensive coordinator in 1995-96. Gilbride has also coordinated offenses for the Houston Oilers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills.
As quarterbacks coach, Gilbride was at the forefront of the development of Manning, the No. 1 selection in the 2004 NFL Draft. In 2005, under Gilbride’s guidance, Manning led the Giants to the NFC East title while throwing 557 passes, the third-highest total in the league and the second-highest total in team history. Manning’s 294 completions tied for ninth in the NFL and was then fourth on the Giants’ single-season list. His 3,762 yards were fifth in the NFL. Manning threw 24 touchdown passes, the most by a Giant since Tarkenton had 29 in 1967.
In 2006, Gilbride’s last season as quarterbacks coach, Manning completed 301 passes to become just the second quarterback in franchise history to top 300 completions in a season. Manning threw 24 touchdown passes, matching his 2005 total and leaving him tied for fourth in the NFL. Manning became the first Giants quarterback to throw at least 20 touchdown passes in consecutive seasons since Phil Simms did it three years in a row from 1984-86.
Manning’s development under Gilbride became evident in the latter part of the quarterback’s rookie season. In the final three games of the year, Manning completed 53-of-87 passes (61 percent) for 527 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. In the season-ending victory over Dallas, Manning threw three touchdown passes and led a 66-yard drive in the final two minutes for the winning score.
Prior to joining the Giants, Gilbride spent two years as the Bills’ offensive coordinator. In his first season in Buffalo, the Bills set seven offensive team records, including most net passing yards (3,995). Quarterback Drew Bledsoe set 10 team records. That year, Buffalo had the fifth-best passing offense in the NFL and was 11th overall while averaging 23.7 points, 22.2 first downs, and 349.4 yards per game. That offense featured the franchise’s first 4,000-yard passer in Bledsoe, two 1,200-yard receivers (Eric Moulds and Peerless Price) and a 1,400-yard rusher (Travis Henry).
Gilbride entered the NFL as the quarterbacks coach of the Oilers in 1989. He was promoted to offensive coordinator from 1990-93 and then to assistant head coach/offense in 1994. Houston ranked first in the NFL in passing yards every season from 1990-93. The Oilers also topped the league in total offense in 1990 and were second in 1991, third in 1992 and second in 1993.
Gilbride’s first stint with Coughlin began in 1995, when Gilbride took over as the offensive coordinator of the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars. The following year, the Jaguars led the NFL with 259.7 passing yards per game and were second in total offense with 360.2 yards per contest, a performance that helped Jacksonville advance to the AFC Championship Game in just its second year of existence.
After two years in Jacksonville, Gilbride was named the 10th head coach in San Diego Chargers history on Jan. 19, 1997 and posted a 6-16 record over the course of the 1997-98 seasons. He spent the 1999 and 2000 seasons as offensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2001, Gilbride was an analyst with ESPN.
Prior to joining the NFL, Gilbride spent two seasons (1985-86) in the Canadian Football League as an assistant with the Ottawa Rough Riders.
Gilbride began his career as the linebackers coach at Idaho State in 1974-75. He held the same position at Tufts University in 1976-77. Gilbride was the defensive coordinator at American International and the head coach at his alma mater, Southern Connecticut State University, from 1980-84. He compiled a 35-14-2 record and a .706 winning percentage that is the best in school history.
Gilbride was born in New Haven, Conn., and earned a degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut State, where he also played quarterback and tight end. He received his master’s in athletic administration from Idaho State. He and his wife, Deborah, have three children - daughters Kelly and Kristen and son, Kevin. Kelly is a 1998 graduate of Harvard University, Kristen graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1999 and Kevin graduated from the University of Hawaii in 2003 and is currently the Giants’ offensive quality control coach.
