The New York Giants are gearing up to hire an offensive coordinator under new head coach Brian Daboll. Luckily for Big Blue, they have two phenomenal options to choose from, one of which is extremely experienced and the other just 34 years old and fresh from the Kansas City Chiefs.
There are arguments to make, promoting both candidates, Pep Hamilton, recently of the Houston Texans, and Mike Kafka, who has served as the Kansas City Chiefs’ passing game coordinator and QB coach over the last few seasons.
Giants can go with experience or fresh blood at offensive coordinator:
Mike Kafka:
Kafka is a fantastic option for Daboll, having served on the Kansas City coaching staff since 2017. Starting as the offense’s Quality Control Coach, he has evolved into a more prominent role and likely would’ve taken over the OC spot if Eric Bieniemy had landed a head-coaching gig.
Mahomes has credited Kafka in the past for significantly impacting his game. Ranging from his pocket presence to moving through his progressions, Mahomes has developed into one of the league’s best players thanks to a phenomenal coaching staff.
Kafka plays an essential role in producing game plans for the Chiefs, who regularly host one of the best offenses in football. Utilizing heavy pre-snap motion and unique strategies, the Giants would be gaining a cutting-edge coach at the top of modernized football.
In addition, the Giants would be pairing Kafka and Daboll, two coaches have who have developed elite quarterbacks during their careers. In addition, Kafka has learned an exponential amount of knowledge from Andy Reid, one of the league’s best head coaches.
Pep Hamilton:
Alternatively, the Giants could look in the direction of Pep Hamilton, who is 47 years old and most recently worked with Houston Texans. He assisted in helping third-round pick from 2021, David Mills, enjoy a successful rookie season despite poor circumstances. After Tyrod Taylor went down due to injury, Mills recorded 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns, and a 66.8 completion percentage over 13 games. Believe it or not, his production far outweighs Daniel Jones’s output.
Having worked wonders with Mills, Hamilton is well-versed in forging quarterbacks, serving as a QB coach for Justin Herbert during his breakout rookie season. He’s also helped develop Andrew Luck, Jay Cutler, and a number of passers over the years.
Advocating for Hamilton a simple, he contains decades of NFL coaching experience and has served on multiple staffs, including under Lovie Smith with the Chicago Bears back in 2007. Nonetheless, some may point to Pep’s constant turnover and change of scenery as a negative.
If you’re the Giants, you look at all of his experiences and recognize the value he brings to the table, especially when it comes to developing a young quarterback like Daniel Jones or a draft selection.
The question is, do the Giants value experience or modernization more?
Both options will provide plenty of knowledge regarding the offense, but given Hamilton’s success with Houston and ability to command a unit alone, relying on him to call plays would be far more comforting.
Management has already indicated they prefer that Daboll not call the offensive plays, rather focusing on the game management instead. With that being said, Hamilton likely offers a better solution for the vacant OC spot.