McGaughey spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals (1996) and Philadelphia Eagles (1997) of the National Football League (NFL).

McGaughey then spent the 2005 and 2006 seasons as assistant special teams coordinator for the Denver Broncos, and the same role for the New York Giants from 2007 to 2010.

During his first season with the Giants, the team won Super Bowl XLII by defeating the New England Patriots, 17–14.

He spent the following seasons as special teams coordinator for the New York Jets in 2014, San Francisco 49ers in 2015, and Carolina Panthers from 2016 to 2017.

[10] On February 7, 2024, McGaughey was hired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their special teams coordinator for the 2024 season.