After interviewing for multiple head coaching jobs this offseason and exploring lateral moves to potentially leave East Rutherford, Mike Kafka was ultimately retained by the New York Giants.
Kafka was given the assistant head coach title but that appeared symbolic — or a maneuver to prevent him from leaving — more than functional. He was also seemingly stripped of his play-calling duties.
Throughout the offseason and thus far in training camp, head coach Brian Daboll has not only called the plays, but he’s run the offensive meetings.
So, what exactly does Kafka do these days? He explained following practice on Thursday.
“During the week, I’m helping Dabes put together the offense, talking about the scheme, talking about the players, talking about our roster and what that looks like on the offensive side of the football. At the practice field, I’m helping complement the coaches and help coach and orchestrate how we’re going to operate on offense as far as practice flow, organizing drills and how we’re going to do those things,” Kafka told reporters. “It’s an open communication, and it’s things that pass through me to Dabes, and we talk about how Dabes wants to run it, and then we go back and execute it for him.”
Kafka continues to take the high road but it’s easy for anyone to see that his role has been dramatically reduced despite the portrayed “promotion.”
“I’m going to take it as a learning approach, learn as much as I can from the people around me, and then contribute as best I can, whether I am calling plays or I’m not. Whatever that situation looks like. I’m going to do my best to help the team win,” he said.
“I do a lot of studying. Whether it’s our own plays and our own scheme and our own players or if it’s other teams that are doing good stuff. You always want to have an open mind and a learning mentality and that’s the way I kind of approach it.”
Kafka, who remained in the booth on gameday last season even after having his play-calling duties stripped, wouldn’t elaborate on what his role will be next Thursday night when the Giants take on the Detroit Lions.
“I’ll let Dabes hit on that, the role specifically for game day, but it’s something we’ve already discussed,” he said.
Expectations are that Daboll will call the plays and Kafka will be up in the booth relaying what he sees down to the field. What he does beyond that on gameday remains to be seen.
