Michael Ghobrial is in his second season as the Giants' special teams coordinator. He spent 2021-23 as an assistant coordinator on the Jets' staff and before that was a special teams coordinator on the collegiate level for five years.
In Ghobrial's first season leading the Giants' special teams, two players earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Isaiah Simmons was named the Week 5 recipient after he blocked Seattle's 47-yard game-tying field goal attempt. Wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton caught the batted ball and returned it 60 yards for the clinching touchdown. Ihmir Smith-Marsette was the second Giant to earn the honor after he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the Week 17 victory over Indianapolis. Smith-Martsette's score marked the Giants' first kickoff return touchdown since Oct. 25, 2015.
In 2023, the Jets' kickoff coverage was the NFL's best, allowing an average of just 15.3 yards a return. Their opponents' 40.4-yard net punting average ranked seventh in the NFL. Kicker Greg Zuerlein made 35 of 38 field goal attempts, including five-of-six from 50+ yards, a .921 percentage, and scored 120 points. Rookie Xavier Gipson was second in the league with a 23.2-yard kickoff return average and tied for 12th with a 9.7-yard punt return average, including a game-winning 65-yard touchdown in the season opener vs. Buffalo. Ashtyn Davis was among the league leaders with 12 special teams tackles (nine solo) and forced and recovered a fumble.
The previous season, special teams captain Justin Hardee was selected to his first Pro Bowl after posting a career-high 14 tackles. He became just the sixth Jets special teamer to be selected to the Pro Bowl since 1970 and the only core special teamer. Two of the six were chosen during Ghobrial's tenure. Zuerlein kicked three of the four longest field goals in franchise history and became one of four Jets to convert multiple field goals of 55+ yards as a Jet.
In 2021, the Jets were the only team in the league to finish in the top five in both kickoff (27.4 yards) and punt return (12.1 yards) average. Wide receiver/return specialist Braxton Berrios was selected as an All-Pro after he led the NFL with a 30.4-yard kickoff return average and finished second with a 13.4-yard punt return average.
Prior to joining the Jets, Ghobrial served as the special teams coordinator at Washington State (2020), Hawai'i (2018-19) and Tarleton State (2016-17). Following his first season at Tarleton State, he spent training camp with the Detroit Lions as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
Ghobrial began his coaching career at his alma mater, UCLA, first as an undergrad assistant (2009-10), then a quality control coach (2011) and finally as a graduate assistant (2012-13). Following his time with the Bruins, he coached at Syracuse (2014) and Colorado Mesa (2015), serving as the team's co-special teams coordinator in addition to coaching the defensive line and outside linebackers.
Ghobrial played defensive end for two seasons at UCLA, where he earned his bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in social science and comparative education.
GHOBRIAL'S COACHING CAREER
2024-25: New York Giants - Special Teams Coordinator
2021-23: New York Jets - Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
2020: Washington State University - Special Teams Coordinator
2018-19: University of Hawai'i - Special Teams Coordinator
2017: Detroit Lions - Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship
2016-17: Tarleton State University - ST Coordinator/DL/OLBs
2015: Colorado Mesa University - Co ST Coordinator/DL/OLBs
2014: Syracuse University - Graduate Assistant
2012-13: UCLA - Graduate Assistant
2011: UCLA - Quality Control
2009-10: UCLA - Undergraduate Assistant
