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Five things to know about STC Thomas McGaughey

THOMAS-MCGAUGHEY-ANNOUNCEMENT

Five things to know about special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey.

1. McGaughey just completed the fourth season of his second stint with the Giants. He has been the team's special teams coordinator the past four seasons, and served as the team's assistant special teams coordinator from 2007-2010. McGaughey was previously a coordinator for three other NFL teams from 2014-2017, and also has six years of experience coaching in the college ranks.

2. In 2020, the Giants ranked sixth in the NFL in yards per punt return (11.4 avg.) and ninth in total kickoff return yards (788). Kicker Graham Gano matched his career-high of 31 field goals made, while setting a new career-mark as a starter with his 96.9 field goal percentage, which ranked third in the NFL. In his two seasons with the Giants under McGaughey, Gano has connected on a franchise-record 12 field goals of 50+ yards, while his 92.3 percentage on field goals is the highest mark among Giants kickers with more than 10 attempts. In 2019, the Giants finished first in the NFL in kickoff return yards (1,153), fourth in punt return average (9.8), fifth in punt return yards (274) and 10th in kickoff return average (23.5). The coverage units were just as impressive. The Giants ranked first in opponent kickoff return average (18.1) and fifth in opponent punt return average (5.7).

3. McGaughey was the Giants' assistant special teams coach from 2007-10. The Giants won Super Bowl XLII in his first season with the team. In 2008, he helped produce the Pro Bowl battery of kicker John Carney, punter/holder Jeff Feagles, and long snapper Zak DeOssie as the Giants won the NFC East. That year, Carney set a then-team record by converting 92.1 percent (35 of 38) of his field goal attempts.

View photos of the three Giants coordinators - OC Mike Kafka, DC Don 'Wink' Martindale, and STC Thomas McGaughey.

4. In the two years before rejoining the Giants, he was the Carolina Panthers' special teams coordinator. In 2017, the Panthers ranked fifth in the NFL with a franchise-record 42.4-yard net punting average. Gano, then a member of the Panthers, led the league with a franchise-record .967 success rate on field goal attempts (29 of 30) and made 34 of 37 extra point tries on his way to his only Pro Bowl appearance. In McGaughey's first season with the Panthers, Carolina led the NFL and tied the team record with three blocked field goals. Carolina's kickoff coverage unit limited opponents to an average of 18.1 yards per return, the top mark in the NFL, and ranked fifth with an average drive start of the 23.7-yard line. McGaughey joined Carolina from the San Francisco 49ers, for whom he was the special teams coordinator in 2015. He held the same position with the Jets in 2014.

5. From 2011-13, McGaughey served as the special teams coordinator/defensive assistant at Louisiana State, which won the Southeastern Conference Championship in 2011. During his three seasons in Baton Rouge, the Tigers scored seven special teams touchdowns, and McGaughey coached three All-Americans, including two future Giants: returner Odell Beckham Jr. and punter Brad Wing. McGaughey began his coaching career at the University of Houston, his alma mater, as a graduate assistant in 1997. He handled defensive backs and special teams at Willowridge High School in Houston from 1998-2001. McGaughey played for the Houston Cougars from 1991-95 and was special teams captain as a senior. He was briefly with the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles in 1996 and played in NFL Europe and was a member of the Barcelona Dragons team that won the World Bowl in 1997. He and his wife, Erika, have three children, sons Thomas (Trey) and Trenton, and daughter Taylor.

McGAUGHEY'S COACHING CAREER

Kansas City Chiefs (2002) – Assistant Special Teams

University of Houston (2003) – Special Teams Coordinator

University of Houston (2004) – Special Teams coordinator/Cornerbacks

Denver Broncos (2005-06) – Assistant Special Teams

New York Giants (2007-10) – Assistant Special Teams

Louisiana State University (2011-13) – Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Assistant

New York Jets (2014) – Special Teams Coordinator

San Francisco 49ers (2015) – Special Teams Coordinator

Carolina Panthers (2016-17) – Special Teams Coordinator

New York Giants (2018-present) – Special Teams Coordinator

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