Giants block Mike Kafka from coordinator interview with Seahawks

Seattle reportedly had interest in Kafka as offensive coordinator

UPDATE: The Giants have reportedly blocked Mike Kafka from interviewing for the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator position.

While the New York Giants continue scouring the globe for a defensive coordinator, they may also be facing another coaching staff defection. A report on Saturday indicated that “there’s interest” from the Seattle Seahawks in talking to Kafka about becoming Seattle’s offensive coordinator.

Kafka, who has interviewed for six head-coaching vacancies over the past two seasons, was a finalist for the Seattle job that went to Mike MacDonald. MacDonald has been a defensive coordinator, though, so his choice of offensive coordinator for the Seahawks will be critical.

Head coach Brian Daboll said at the end of the season that the plan was for Kafka to return as offensive coordinator. Daboll, though, said the same thing about then-defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Within about 24 hours, that plan changed.

So, there remains no guarantee Kafka will be back.

The Giants would have to grant Seattle permission to talk to Kafka about their offensive coordinator job as it would, on paper, be a lateral move — one coordinator job to another. No official request has reportedly been made, so we don’t know what the Giants would decide.

The key piece of information is what Daboll’s plan for 2024 might be. Daboll said at the end of the season that he and Kafka would discuss the play-calling role. With Daboll’s background as a successful offensive coordinator and his seat as head coach warming as he enters Year 3, there has been speculation that Daboll might decide to take full control of the offense — including play-calling.

If that happens, Kafka would be downgraded to an offensive coordinator without play-calling responsibilities. That would do nothing to further his career ambitions of becoming a head coach.

Even if Daboll doesn’t want to run the offense himself, Kafka might look at going to a team with a defensive-minded head coach as a better opportunity. He could install and call his offense, rather than running a version of Daboll’s that isn’t truly his own.

If Kafka were to leave, the likelihood is that Daboll would take full control of the offense and that quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney, a Daboll protege, would be promoted to offensive coordinator.