Michael Clay enters his fourth year as the special teams coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles and 11th season overall coaching in the NFL.
In 2023, Clay directed one of the top groups in the league, as Philadelphia finished first in special teams DVOA (4.2 pct.), fifth in Pro Football Focus special teams grade (89.0), and 10th in Rick Gosselin's annual special teams rankings (322.0 composite score). The success of the Eagles' operation also resulted in contract extensions for kicker Jake Elliott, long snapper Rick Lovato, and punter Braden Mann during the 2024 offseason.
Elliott received second-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press in 2023 after establishing a team record in field goal percentage (93.8 pct., 30-of-32) and totaling a career high in points (135, fifth in Eagles history). In Week 2 vs. Minnesota, Elliott tied his club record with a 61-yard field goal, becoming the fifth kicker in NFL history to convert multiple field goals from 61-plus yards in their career. In his first year with the team, Mann logged the highest gross (49.8) and net (43.9) punting averages ever by an Eagle.
Under Clay's guidance, Britain Covey cemented himself as one of the best punt returners in the NFL in 2023. The second-year player was named a Pro Bowl alternate after leading the league in punt return yards (417) while ranking second in punt return average (14.4). Covey also finished the season as the only player with multiple 50-plus-yard punt returns (two).
A member of an Eagles staff that guided the team to a Super Bowl LVII appearance, Clay led a group that featured three NFC Special Teams Player of the Week performances during the 2022 season. He also helped Covey, an undrafted rookie, rank third in the conference in punt return yards (308, eighth in the NFL) and punt return average (9.3, ninth in the NFL).
In 2021, Clay oversaw a special teams unit that was highlighted by the excellence of Elliott, who earned his first career Pro Bowl nod after producing a then-franchise-record 90.9 field goal percentage (30-of-33). Additionally, Elliott finished as one of three NFL kickers who made at least 90 percent of their field goals and all of their extra-point attempts (44-of-44).
Prior to coming back to Philadelphia, Clay spent five seasons (2016-20) as an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers.
During the 2020 campaign, Clay helped punter Mitch Wishnowsky post the most punts inside the 20-yard line (25) in the NFL while finishing among the top 12 in the NFL in net (41.6, 12th) and gross (46.9, 11th) average.
In 2019, when San Francisco advanced to Super Bowl LIV, Clay assisted a special teams group that ranked second in average starting field position (32.1-yard line) and seventh in opponent average starting field position (24.7-yard line). Kicker Robbie Gould recorded 100-plus points (110) for the third straight season and Wishnowsky registered the second-best punting average (44.9) by a 49ers rookie. Richie James also ranked seventh in the league in punt return average (8.0) and 10th in kickoff return average (21.4).
San Francisco's special teams flourished in 2018. Gould set a 49ers record for field goal percentage (97.1 pct.) after connecting on 33-of-34 attempts and totaling 126 points. He also set the franchise record for consecutive field goals made (33) and ended the year making each of his final 23 attempts. James, who produced the team's first kickoff return touchdown (97 yards) since 2011, capped his rookie year with All-NFC accolades from the PFWA after ranking seventh in the NFL in kickoff return average (25.2).
Clay served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with San Francisco in 2017. He originally joined the 49ers' staff as an assistant special teams coach during the 2016 season.
Prior to San Francisco, Clay spent two years on the Eagles' staff, working as an assistant special teams coach in 2015 and a defensive quality control coach in 2014. In 2015, Philadelphia ranked second in the league in punt return average (11.4) and was one of four teams to produce multiple return touchdowns on special teams. Darren Sproles garnered his second career Pro Bowl selection after recording the most punt return yards (446) in the league and tying for the most punt return touchdowns (two).
A native of San Jose, CA, Clay was a four-year letterman as a linebacker at the University of Oregon (2009-12). He earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors as a senior in 2012, starting all 12 games and registering 101 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble. Clay was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2013.
Clay attended Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, CA. He played fullback and linebacker and was named a two-time All-Mercury News first-team selection.
