Could the New York Giants bring back Mike Kafka as head coach next season?
When the New York Giants fired Brian Daboll following their Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears, Mike Kafka took over as interim head coach.
While it was clear that Kafka was facing an uphill battle in terms of convincing the Giants to keep him around for 2026, early indications were that the energy had shifted since his installment, and it seems pretty obvious that he has lit a fire under rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter.
But does Kafka actually have any chance of winning the full-time head-coaching job?
Ed Valentine of Big Blue View doesn't seem to think so.
In a recent fan mailbag, Valentine was asked about Kafka's prospects as a potential head coach for next season, and he instantly shot it down.
"Mike Kafka’s interview for the Giants’ head-coaching job has been his work since taking over for Brian Daboll," Valentine wrote. "Kafka has done some good things in dealing with Abdul Carter and making moves to adjust the coaching staff. The results, though, aren’t good enough."
Valentine seems pretty positive that Kafka won't be retained.
New York Giants coach Mike Kafka. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images."The Giants are 0-5 with Kafka and some of his in-game decisions have been questionable," Valentine added. "I like Kafka and I hope he gets a head-coaching job one day, even if he has to take a college job, but he isn’t getting the Giants job."
It's hard to argue with Valentine here.
Perhaps there is a chance that Kafka could stick around as offensive coordinator, but even that seems rather farfetched at this point.
It's very clear that New York needs new leadership, and while some may argue that may start at the top, the head-coaching position is the one available opening right now.
The Giants will certainly have a plethora of candidates on deck heading into January, and because of Jaxson Dart, some of New York's other young talent and the prospect of having a top draft pick, the Giants comprise a rather attractive opening.
But at this point, Kafka has probably sealed his fate by going winless in each of his contests leading up to New York's Week 17 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kafka is a good football mind who may land a job elsewhere, but his time in the Big Apple seems to be coming to a close.