EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Hours after the first major move of New York Giants interim coach Mike Kafka’s tenure became public, he confidently answered questions about starting Jameis Winston over Russell Wilson. Kafka handled the crowd of 50 or more media members with candor and composure.
He was more expansive and significantly less guarded than he had been during much of the previous 3½ years he has been with the Giants under former coach Brian Daboll.
This is now Mike Kafka, the interim head coach — no longer the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
“My only focus is just the players,” Kafka said this week, downplaying what is personally at stake. “We need to make sure as a group, as a staff, we come together, put together a great plan, and really just focus on what the most important thing is.”
It’s a massive opportunity for him at 38 years old, having started his coaching career at Northwestern, where he played quarterback. Kafka then went to the Kansas City Chiefs, who tasked him with developing a rookie Patrick Mahomes, and eventually joined the Giants as a coordinator and playcaller.
Now, he’s in the big seat and admittedly leaning on his mentors.
“I just told him to trust himself, just like he did when he was a player, and whatever he needs, he’s got me for forever,” former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said in a phone conversation this week with ESPN.
That means trying to put his stamp on a team that has dropped four straight.
The Giants (2-8) and the rest of the NFL will be looking at how Kafka can help the team over the final two months of the season. He’ll have to do it Sunday against the Green Bay Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox) without rookie starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, who is out because of a concussion.
Kafka already has made some minor tweaks to the schedule and in-week process, although defensive coordinator Shane Bowen warned not to expect “anything drastic” in schematics or personnel changes. There will be a natural transition and some alterations as Kafka adjusts to handling more than just the offense.
The defense needs to learn more about the new interim coach. To bolster that coalition, Kafka was interjecting and throwing friendly jabs at the unit throughout the week, something he hadn’t done previously.
“I’m still learning [his personality]. I’m still learning that. I had to ask one of the coaches, ‘Does he have one?'” veteran defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II said with a laugh. “But I’m still learning. He seems cool, man. I’m enjoying him. It’s different because you never hear from him; now you hear from him all the time. So, I’m adjusting.”
Players throughout the week noticed Kafka bears a calming presence, a different manner than Daboll, who was known as more impassioned on the sideline.
The belief among some seems to be that Kafka’s approach could be beneficial, especially in late-game situations, when the Giants have struggled. They’re just the second team in the Super Bowl era to drop two games in the same season with at least a 10-point lead with under four minutes remaining.
Perhaps this could help when things start to snowball.
“He’s probably naturally a little bit more of a calmer personality, so to speak,” wide receiver Darius Slayton said of Kafka. “But that can be helpful, especially in a high-pressure game like we’re in, week in and week out, that calmer presence can definitely be beneficial.”
“He’s poised,” Winston said. “He’s very poised on the sideline. And don’t get me wrong, this is a very challenging situation because I would not be here if it weren’t for Brian Daboll. And I am so grateful for him and the opportunity that he forwarded me to come to New York and do what I love.”
Kafka has been waiting for this chance, not necessarily in New York and under these circumstances, but he has interviewed for eight head coaching openings and been a finalist in at least a couple. He has been on the verge of becoming an NFL head coach for the past three seasons.
One high-level executive who was involved in interviews with Kafka considered him prepared and organized. He saw confidence and conviction on top of having a strong football IQ. That team was impressed.
It’s what Fitzgerald has seen since he recruited Kafka out of St. Rita’s High School in Chicago. It’s why Fitzgerald wanted him on his staff as a graduate assistant after his playing career was over.
“I mean, he’s uber intelligent,” Fitzgerald said. “He’s a super smart guy.”
Kafka received a call this week from his former boss, Chiefs coach Andy Reid. He played under Reid, another mentor, in Philadelphia (2011-12) and was on his staff with the Chiefs (2017-21).
“It was great to hear from him and him just, I’ll keep it private for what we talked about, but it was great to hear from him, great to have his support, and I know he’s busy, too, and so for him to take some time out of his day to give me a shot was cool.”
Kafka will have his work cut out. The Giants’ next three opponents have a combined record of 20-8-1. After the upcoming matchup against the Packers, their next two games are on the road against Detroit and New England, both first-place teams.
Fitzgerald has no doubt his protégé will be successful, even in this difficult situation.
“Trust what you’ve done. Trust your knowledge, trust your wisdom. I know he’s had a plan because he and I have talked about it in the past as he’s gotten ready for head coaching interviews,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a little bit of a challenge when you take over like this, so how much change is good? How much is too much? But just trust your gut, trust your instincts, trust your acumen, and go make the right decisions for the team and don’t be afraid to be bold.”
The Giants’ brass thinks so highly of Kafka that they blocked other teams’ requests to interview him. It’s part of the reason (in addition to Daboll) that he was brought in originally and eventually retained and promoted despite some rocky moments over the past couple of years, including when Daboll took over playcalling. Kafka is one of the NFL’s highest-paid assistants. It’s why he’s now the interim head coach.
A strong finish to the season could help convince general manager Joe Schoen and ownership that he’s the right guy for the job. Fitzgerald has no doubts.
“I couldn’t be more proud of Mike,” he said. “He has earned everything that he has gotten in his life and just great things happen for great people. And when I think of Mike Kafka beyond the coach, he is just an absolutely terrific person. … His pedigree and his preparedness for this speaks for itself. That’s where it goes back to where he just needs to trust himself and go be Mike, and that’ll be good enough.”
