Mike Kafka's status as the Giants' play-caller remains unknown

NFL

From Paul Schwartz

He's back, with a fancy new title and the financial boost that comes with a promotion.

Despite speculation that Mike Kafka would move on from Brian Daboll after just two years, it turns out he is the only coordinator from Daboll's first team with the Giants returning in 2024.

“I love working with Dabes, I love working for Dabes,” Kafka said Monday as players arrived at the team facility for the start of the offseason training program. “It was a collaborative process. Did we get all the results we wanted every day? Of course we want to win every single game, but sometimes that doesn't work. We experience the ups and downs of a season and we are all competitive, we all want to win. “That’s what I love about him.”

After the 2022 season, Kafka was interviewed by four teams for head coaching vacancies as the Giants were coming off a successful season and their first playoff win since 2011.

Kafka's first year as offensive coordinator was definitely encouraging, as Daboll entrusted him with the playmaking duties.

The Giants fell to 6-11 in 2023 and the offense ranked 30th in the NFL at 15.6 points per game.

Still, Kafka landed an interview for the Seahawks' head coaching opening.

During last season's rocky journey, Daboll took the lead on offense at times, but Kafka retained that role at the end of the season.

“I don’t know if it was out there or something,” Kafka said. “All I know is: last year is last year. There are a lot of things we need to get better at, from the coaches to the players to everyone. We just have to improve. So I won't go too far back in time. I installed this in my rearview mirror. “We learned from it, we grew from it.”

There is no statement from Daboll yet as to whether he will take over the management of the game himself this season or hand it back to Kafka.

“Yes, every year is different – ​​you have to go through the evaluation process, and this year is no different,” Kafka said, not answering the question of whether he would continue to name the pieces.

Whether he's calling the shots or not, Kafka not only returns as offensive coordinator but has also been named associate head coach.

Over the past two years, Daboll has already included the 36-year-old Kafka in several organizational, logistical and medical meetings to which he was not invited.

“It is definitely an honor to hold this title,” said Kafka. “I don’t take it lightly.”

“It was really cool to be part of the backbone of how we’re going to do this thing.”