Jay Heaps
A tenacious defender who translated his on-field grit into a coaching career, reshaping the New England Revolution's identity.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American soccer player·Birthday: August 2·Generation X
Biography
Jay Heaps played eleven Major League Soccer seasons as a relentless defender, primarily with the New England Revolution. The Duke University standout anchored the Revolution's lineup, helping the club reach multiple MLS Cup finals. After retiring, he moved into the front office and then, in a bold move, became head coach of the same team. Heaps brought a modern, high-pressing tactical approach to the Revolution, leading them to a 2014 MLS Cup appearance and earning Coach of the Year honors. His post-Revolution career has seen him guide a USL franchise, continuing his life in soccer from a new vantage point.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jay was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jay Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jay's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played over 250 games for the New England Revolution, winning the 2007 U.S. Open Cup with the team.
- Named the 2009 MLS Comeback Player of the Year after returning from a serious knee injury.
- Served as head coach of the New England Revolution from 2011 to 2017, the longest tenure in club history.
- Led the Revolution to the 2014 MLS Cup final and was named MLS Coach of the Year that season.
Did You Know?
He was a two-sport athlete at Duke University, playing both soccer and basketball.
He won an NCAA Men's Soccer Championship with Duke in 1995.
His first coaching role was as a front-office assistant while still a player, handling broadcast operations.
He is the younger brother of former professional basketball player and coach Neil Heaps.
“You don't win a fifty-fifty ball by thinking about it.”
