HOUSTON – Mike Kafka put business first, prioritizing his preparations for another New York Giants playoff game rather than conducting interviews for NFL head coaching vacancies.
And the Giants’ offensive coordinator formulated a strong game plan as quarterback Daniel Jones, having a resurgent season, led the NFC East franchise to a playoff victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
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Now, Kafka is getting ready for the Giants’ divisional-round playoff game Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The 35-year-old former NFL and Northwestern quarterback is focused on that game, of course, but is making time soon to meet with interested NFL teams.
That includes the Texans on Sunday, per a league source, when he’ll become their eighth candidate to interview for the position, following San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans on Friday after interviews with Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach and tight ends coach Thomas Brown, former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, regarded by many around the league as the leading candidate, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who withdrew his name from head coaching searches and remained with his current team on a lucrative augmented contract.
Kafka has made a steady rise in the coaching ranks and also interviews Sunday with the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers, per a source.
“First of all I’d say it’s an honor,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said of Kafka and Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale drawing interest from NFL teams for job interviews. “But the biggest thing is focusing on what you have to focus on, which I know Mike will. There will be a time and place after the season to talk about that. Usually when you win people get credit and I’m happy for the guys that would get that opportunity, but I know where their focus is right now.”
With the emphasis on offensive coaches, Kafka is an intriguing candidate for teams with how he’s engineered a turnaround of the Giants offense with a balance between running back Saquon Barkley and an improved Jones while calling the plays and working in tandem with Daboll.
Kafka, 35, is in the mold of a younger offensive coach that’s been popular in recent hiring cycles, including the Philadelphia Eagles’ Nick Sirianni.
He’s known for his creativity.
The Giants ran a fun Statue of Liberty play against the Vikings. The gadget play called “Lady Liberty,” only gained a few yards as Jones took a shotgun snap, faked a throw to Barkley and handed it off behind his back to Matt Breida.
“There were a few things that had to happen right for the play to work,’’ Kafka said. “It was the right situation, I thought. The creativity that the staff has, players love that kind of stuff. Giving it to those guys and let them kind of run with it. I think Daniel handled it great. Those are neat plays. Those are things we’re building for our offense, we want to continue building.’’
Chiefs coach Andy Reid hired Kakfa in 2017 as he left Northwestern. A six-year backup quarterback in the NFL, Kakfa worked closely with Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Hired initially as an offensive quality control coach, Kakfa worked with Mahomes as he won an MVP award. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach, then passing game coordinator.
Now, Kafka runs the Giants’ offense that succeeds despite a lack of stellar playmakers at wide receiver.
The Giants rank 15th in total offense after finishing 31st in scoring and total offense in 2021. The Giants won their first playoff game in 11 years.
A Chicago native and former St. Rita standout, Kakfa played safety and wide receiver in high school before emerging as a standout as a senior quarterback and earning a scholarship to nearby Northwestern where he played for Pat Fitzgerald and set passing records and was a team captain.
In the Outback Bowl, he passed for 532 yards and four touchdowns with five interceptions in an overtime loss.
He then played for the Eagles, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals before retiring and entering the coaching profession. He played in four games, all in 2011 for the Eagles and completed 11 of 16 passes for 107 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. Kakfa has obviously proven to be better at teaching the position than playing quarterback, but his background as a pro quarterback is nonetheless invaluable. A backup quarterback has to have a lot of knowledge.
Under Kafka’s direction, Jones’ development has been eye-catching to teams.
“Every day, Daniel, he comes to work,” Kakfka said. “Whether it’s in the classroom, and then on the field, he’s working his butt off, too. It’s great for him; he’s always looking for ways to improve, no matter what day it is. Whether it’s future, past, or whatever, he’s always looking for ways to improve his game.”
The Texans are looking for someone who’s a good teacher with people skills, an understanding of personnel and how to best utilize those players, a strong grasp of the big picture.
Perhaps Kakfa can fit that bill.
‘In the end, it’s a leadership position,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said when asked what’s the ideal for a successful coaching candidate after coach Lovie Smith was fired following a 3-13-1 season. “The head coach’s responsibility is to consistently, continually message the players, create belief, create a vision for the team, work in concert with as many people that are in the building. My role is a supplementary role to be as big and as much of a resource as possible. It has to be a collaborative effort, and it will be a collaborative effort.
“Everybody has different strengths, everybody has qualities, everybody has areas that they’re more accomplished than others. In the end, we have to figure out what’s the best thing for the Houston Texans at this present time, what’s the best for our situation, what’s the best for our building, what’s the best for our coaches, what’s the best for our players.”
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to KPRC 2 and click2houston.com