The New York Giants boast a young and dynamic coaching staff, bringing an infectious enthusiasm that might, unfortunately, catch the attention of rival teams and organizations. This youthful vigor and talent could lead to the poaching of their staff in the coming years.
Brian Daboll’s Trust in Mike Kafka
Head Coach Brian Daboll entrusted the team’s offensive coordinator role to former Kansas City Chiefs assistant Mike Kafka last season. This decision introduced a much-needed sense of creativity and modernity to a unit that was previously lacking in talent.
However, it seems only a matter of time before Kafka accepts a coaching offer elsewhere, given the numerous meetings he has already had regarding vacant head coaching positions in the NFL. Most recently, Kafka’s name has been linked with Northwestern following their recent departure from Pat Fitzgerald due to a hazing scandal.
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Northwestern’s Potential Poaching of Kafka
Reportedly, Kafka is among the top contenders to replace Fitzgerald at Northwestern. This move would mean an exit for him from the Giants and a departure from the NFL altogether. Kafka’s potential transition to Northwestern would significantly change his career trajectory, considering his evident closeness to becoming an NFL head coach.
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic suggests that Kafka might be Northwestern’s top choice to fill their vacant head coach position.
Feldman writes: “The dream candidate for the school probably would be Kafka, a 35-year-old former Wildcat QB who grew up in Chicago and has risen fast up the NFL ranks. Northwestern has been terrible on offense for a while; Kafka seems like he could fix that pretty quickly.”
Giants’ Outlook on Kafka’s Departure
While the Giants likely aren’t overly concerned about Kafka’s imminent departure, they should prepare for such an eventuality over the next couple of years. This is particularly crucial if the offense continues to make significant strides under his leadership. In the previous year, the Giants achieved a rank of 5th in touchdown conversion rate within the red zone, a notable improvement from their last-place ranking in 2021.
Kafka’s offensive approach yielded an average of 333.9 yards per game, aligning with the league average. His strategy relied heavily on the running game, utilizing Saquon Barkley’s skills. However, the coming season is expected to witness a significant shift towards rejuvenating the passing attack.
Kafka’s Vision for the Giants
Drawing on his experience with Travis Kelce in Kansas City, Kafka aims to emulate a similar level of production with Darren Waller and Daniel Jones in the Giants’ lineup. While this is easier said than done, the talent available to Kafka this season surpasses that of previous years, which should yield substantial results compared to 2022.