Tracy Smith is in his first season as special teams coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, joining the team after serving the last three seasons as assistant special teams coach for the Seattle Seahawks. Before Seattle, Smith served as the assistant special teams coach for the Houston Texans (2018-19) before being promoted to special teams coordinator in 2020.
The Seahawks have consistently been among the league's top special teams units, finishing in the top six in Rick Gosselin's annual rankings each of the last three seasons. Seattle's specialists appeared in the top five in several categories during the 2023 season. Kicker Jason Myers tied for the second-most field goals made in 2023, converting 35 of 42 attempts (83.3%). Punter Michael Dickson ranked third with a 44.1 net-yard punt average and return specialist DeeJay Dallas ranked fourth with 440 kick return yards. Linebacker Nick Bellore finished second on the team in special teams tackles and was named to his second Pro Bowl.
In 2022, Myers led the NFL in scoring on his way to a second Pro-Bowl selection, connecting on 34 of 37 field goal attempts, including 6 of 6 from 50-plus yards. The 34 made FGs tied a franchise record (Todd Peterson - 1999). Punter Michael Dickson finished second in the league in net average (44.4 yards per punt), while his 48.5 yards-per-punt gross average was the second best of his five-year career. Seattle scored on special teams for the 17th time since 2010 on an 86-yard Michael Jackson blocked FG return, fourth-longest in NFL history.
Seattle's special teams was among the NFL's best in 2021 as punter Michael Dickson led the league with 40 punts inside the 20, a single-season franchise record. Kicker Jason Myers made a franchise-record 37 consecutive field goals from 11/11/19-9/26/21. It is tied for the fifth-longest streak in NFL history. Seattle scored two touchdowns on special teams, the unit's first time finding the end zone since 2017. Nick Bellore ranked third in the NFL with 15 special teams tackles.
With Smith's help, the 2019 Texans turned in one of the best all-around special teams performances in team history. Behind standout coverage units, the Texans led the NFL and set the single-season franchise record in opponent punt return average, allowing just 3.4 yards per return, and also led the league in opponent field position after kickoffs. P Bryan Anger finished second in the NFL in net punting average (44.5) and led the NFL in percentage of punts pinned inside the 20-yardline (53.3 percent) and tied for the longest punt in franchise history with a 71-yarder in Week 4. Houston also had multiple field goal blocks in a season for the fourth time in team history (2003, 2011, 2013), tying the club record.
In Smith's first season in Houston in 2018, the Texans made a big leap in a number of special teams categories. Houston led the NFL in opponent starting field position with an average of the 25.5-yardline after finishing 26th in 2017. The Texans also ranked second in the NFL in starting field position (31.3) in 2018 after ranking 32nd the previous season. K Ka'imi Fairbairn led the NFL and set single-season franchise records in points scored (150) and field goals made (37). He became the first kicker to hit game-winning field goals in overtime in consecutive games (Weeks 4-5) since David Akers in 2000.
Smith spent three seasons coaching the Oakland Raiders (2015-17), with the special teams unit ranking fourth in punts inside of the 20-yard line (102), fifth in punting average (46.6), fifth in net punting average (41.3), eighth in kickoff return yards (2,540), ninth in punt returns (110) and 10th in punting yards (10,904) over that span.
In 2017, the Raiders finished fifth in the NFL in punting average (47.4) and seventh in opponent kickoff return average (19.9). K Giorgio Tavecchio became the first player to hit two 50-plus yard field goals on his debut in NFL history, earning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 1.
In 2016, Raiders K Sebastian Janikowski kicked three field goals of 50- or-more yards to become the NFL's all-time leader with 55 field goals at that distance. Janikowski also concluded the season with 414 career field goals, the ninth-most in NFL history, and moved into 10th on the NFL's all-time scoring list with 1,799 points scored. Smith also helped P Marquette King earn Associated Press All-Pro second-team honors after recording 81 punts for 3,937 yards (48.6 avg.) while placing 34 punts inside the 20-yard line.
In his first season in Oakland, Smith helped the special teams unit lead the league in kickoff return yards (1,268) and total return yards (1,540). The Raiders allowed only 22.7 yards per kickoff return, improving from 32nd in the league in 2014 to 13th in 2015.The team also blocked five combined extra points and field goals that season, tied for the most by any NFL team since 1995, and King set a franchise record by pinning 40 of his 83 punts inside of the 20-yard line.
Prior to joining the Raiders, Smith spent 2012-14 with the San Francisco 49ers, helping produce one of the top units in the NFL. During that time span, the 49ers ranked in the top 10 in field goals made (ninth, 86) and opponents punt return average (ninth, 8.3). San Francisco also ranked in the top five in net punting average (fourth, 41.3) and gross punting average (third, 47.5).
The 2013 49ers special teams unit ranked second in the NFL according to Rick Gosselin's annual special teams rankings. K Phil Dawson set a franchise record with 27 consecutive field goals made while producing a career-best 140 points, 44 extra points made and 32 field goals made.
The 49ers fielded one of the strongest special teams units in the NFL in 2012. P Andy Lee led the NFL with a 43.2 net punting average while also ranking fifth in the league with a 48.0 punting average on his way to All-Pro honors.
Smith spent the 2011 season with the Seattle Seahawks as a coaching assistant. Prior to joining Seattle, Smith's first NFL experience came with the Cleveland Browns in 2010, where he helped Cleveland lead the NFL in kickoff coverage, finish fifth in punt coverage and sent KR Josh Cribbs to the Pro Bowl.
Before making the jump to the NFL, Smith coached tight ends at Utah State from 2006-08 and spent the 2005 season as the offensive graduate assistant at LSU, working with the team's quarterbacks.
Smith's first job in football came at Stephen F. Austin in 2004, where he worked with the tight ends in addition to serving as the team's video coordinator.
A native of Beaumont, Texas, Smith received a bachelor's degree in business while working for the athletic department's video staff at LSU. His father, Carl, was an NFL assistant coach for 34 seasons. Smith has a son, Troy, and he and his wife, Megan, are parents of one daughter, Lane, and two sons, Bo and Mack.
2004 | Stephen F. Austin - Tight Ends/Video Coordinator
2005 | LSU - Graduate Assistant/Offense
2006-08 | Utah State - Tight Ends
2009-10 | Cleveland Browns - Special Teams Assistant
2011 | Seattle Seahawks - Coaching Assistant
2012-14 | San Francisco 49ers - Special Teams Assistant
2015-17 | Oakland Raiders - Assistant Special Teams
2018-19 | Houston Texans Assistant Special Teams Coordinator
2020 | Houston Texans - Special Teams Coordinator
2021-23 | Seattle Seahawks - Assistant Special Teams
2024- | Carolina Panthers Special Teams Coordinator
