Jay Hoffman, Ph.D.
Director, Applied Physiology Lab and Sport Science Program, Dept of Physical Therapy, Ariel University, Israel
Jay Hoffman is a former NFL player and a world-renowned authority in sports science and exercise physiology. Raised in a supportive blue-collar Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, Hoffman’s passion for athletics led him from collegiate sports to professional football, and ultimately to an international academic and military career. After beginning his studies at NYU, Hoffman transferred to St. John’s University, where he played football and earned a rare double major in Athletic Administration and Pre-Medicine, graduating on the Dean’s List. He went on to play professionally in both the NFL and USFL, including time with the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Bandits, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Following his professional football career, Hoffman relocated to Israel, a lifelong aspiration inspired by an early visit shortly after the Yom Kippur War. While building a fitness training business, his interest in the science behind athletic performance led him to pursue graduate studies in sports science. He earned his PhD from the University of Connecticut, where he also served as a strength coach for the university’s basketball and football programs.
Hoffman returned to Israel with his family to work at the Wingate Institute and coach professional basketball, including serving as an assistant coach for the Galil Elyon team under David Blatt. Committed to contributing to Israeli society, he volunteered for military service and became a commissioned officer in the Israel Defense Forces. He served as a Major in the Israeli Air Force, commanding its Physiology Unit, where he applied his expertise to elite combat and performance readiness.
Today, Jay Hoffman is internationally recognized for his research and contributions to sports science, blending firsthand experience as a professional athlete with decades of academic, coaching, and military leadership.