Mike Kafka is on the move, but he isn't taking a head coaching job just yet...
Former Northwestern Wildcats QB Mike Kafka is on the move, but he isn't taking a head coaching job just yet. It was reported on Monday afternoon that Kafka would be joining the Detroit Lions in a "high-ranking offensive staff role."
Kafka has been with the New York Giants since 2022 as an offensive coordinator, and took over as interim head coach following the firing of Brian Daboll in early November. Kafka finished with a 2-5 record during his brief stretch as interim head coach.
The 38-year old Kafka has been connected to several teams throughout the coaching carousel, and even interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching vacancy ahead of their eventual hiring of Ben Johnson. Now Kafka hopes to follow in Johnson's footsteps as the next great coordinator from Detroit to land a head coaching gig.
Over this season, the Giants ranked fifth in rush yards per game (129.1) and tied for fourth in rushing TDs. Daboll and Kafka together helped elevate the play of rookie QB Jaxson Dart, who had a great season amid issues with a head injury. Dart started 12 of the 14 games he played, and missed two starts as a result of the aforementioned concussion. Overall the 25th pick put up 2,272 yards, 15 TDs and 4 INTs over 14 games.
Now Kafka goes from building up a young up-and-comer, to helping a well-established veteran get back on track in Jared Goff.
The Lions have no doubt been thinking about major additions to their offensive coaching staff since the departure of offensive guru Ben Johnson for the Bears head coaching job.
Kafka comes into Detroit looking to re-ignite an offense that was 7th in Total EPA, but fell to 25th in EPA per rush after ranking in the top-10 the previous season per SummerSports. Kafka will have plenty of weapons to work with in the dynamic RB tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, and the versatile receiving room of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jameson Williams. It is possible that the Detroit offense lost some of it's edge with the departure of Johnson, and a fresh face in Kafka could be exactly what the Lions need.
Kafka took a high-ranking offensive position with the Lions rather than wait out for one of the remaining head coaching jobs, of which there are several. At the time of this writing, the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Las Vegas Raiders head coaching jobs are still available. Whether it was a disinterest in those spots, or doubt that he would land the job, Kafka is now off the market. The Chicago-native will be looking to recreate the glory days of Ben Jonson's Detroit offenses while facing off against the man himself (at least) twice a year.