Giants' OC Mike Kafka Draws Interest from Panthers, Texans for Head Coaching Job
The Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans have requested permission to speak with New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka about their head coaching vacancy, the NFL Network reported.
Kafka, a former NFL quarterback, is in his first season as an offensive coordinator after serving five seasons on Andy Reid’s Chiefs staff as an offensive assistant, the last two as the team’s quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.
Since being hired by Giants head coach Brian Daboll, Kafka has done wonders with the Giants offense, helping it improve from 31st (287.3 yards/game) last year to 18th (333.9 yards/game) this season. The Giants rushing and passing offense also improved under Kafka's play-calling, the rushing game jumping up from 24th in the league in 2021 (99.3 yards/game) to fourth this year (148.2), and the passing game improving from 31st (188.0) to 26th (185.7).
Most notably, in running a system that he helped design, Kafka has helped quarterback Daniel Jones have the best season of his four-year career, and running back Saquon Barkley set a new career high in rushing yardage.
The offense has also overcome a detour in its passing game in which its initial top three receivers (Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, and Sterling Shepard) did not turn out to be the top contributors for various reasons, instead, getting production from guys who were initially at the back end of the depth chart like Darius Slayton, Richie James, and in-season pick-up Isaiah Hodgins.
The Panthers fired head coach Matt Rhule on October 10 and replaced him with Steve Wilks as the interim head coach. The Texans, meanwhile, advised head coach Lovie Smith on Monday that they will be moving in a different direction.
The Giants (9-7-1) are preparing for their first postseason in six years and will face the Minnesota Vikings Sunday in Minnesota for a rematch of their Week 16 game in which the Giants lost on a walk-off 61-yard field goal by kicker Greg Joseph.
Kafka will not be permitted to interview in person or virtually with any team until after this weekend's Wild Card round concludes.
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