Giants’ OC Mike Kafka: ‘I love working with Dabs’

After an offseason filled with coaching staff drama, Kafka puts to rest any issues with head coach Brian Daboll

Mike Kafka is the only coordinator remaining from the New York Giants’ 2023 coaching staff, as both defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey were not retained.

Kafka interviewed for a couple of head-coaching vacancies during the offseason, and was denied an opportunity by the Giants to interview for a lateral opening as Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator.

After a 2023 offseason where play-calling was taken from Kafka on a couple of occasions and an offseason filled with speculation about tension between Kafka and head coach Brian Daboll Kafka downplayed those concerns.

“I love working with Dabs, I love working for Dabs,” Kafka said on Monday as the Giants began Phase 1 of their offseason program. “It’s been a collaborative process. Have we got all the results we wanted each and every day, sure we want to go win every single game, but sometimes that doesn’t happen.”

Kafka admitted he didn’t know yet if he or Daboll would call offensive plays.

“It’s day one of phase one, so there is a long time to go,” he said.

The Giants added Associate Head Coach to Kafka’s title this offseason.

“It’s an honor to have that title, and I don’t take it lightly,” Kafka said. “I’m excited about my role and doing whatever we can to improve daily. I’m lucky to be here. And, you know I’m looking forward to getting out for the offseason.”

After Daniel Jones tore his ACL midway through last season, Kafka and the Giants’ offense will face a major obstacle at quarterback in 2024. As Jones continues to rehab his injury, the third-year offensive coordinator praised his quarterback’s toughness.

“Listen, Daniel (Jones) is a tough kid, and I know he’s going through all his rehab right now,” Kafka said. “He’s attacking that thing. It has been cool. I see him in here every single day working his butt off to get it right.”

Despite that, the Giants have been actively looking at quarterbacks in the buildup to the 2024 NFL Draft. Kafka, a former NFL quarterback, has been involved in that process. What does he look for?

“There is a lot of things that are important to me in a quarterback. You know, leadership, just that ability to kind of control a room, control a huddle. That kind of “it” factor. You look for that. The more you talk to them the more you get comfortable with them,” Kafka said.

“You try to find that “it” factor with a guy you want to be around that you know is going to make the other guys better around him. Whether it’s the quarterback room or another position, some guys just have that.”