The only coordinator the team retained after last year’s frustrating 6-11 season, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka met with the media on Monday.
“I’m lucky and happy to be here. Looking forward to getting after it this offseason,” he said.
Kafka is not only coming back to run the team’s offense, he’s been promoted to assistant head coach, perhaps a move to keep him in-house after he once again went through the NFL coaching carousel the past winter.
“It’s certainly an honor to have that title. I don’t take it lightly,” Kafka told reporters on the first day of the Giants’ offseason workouts.
“Some of the responsibilities I’ve done with Dabs (head coach Brian Daboll) and going through the offseason, No. 1, kind of being a part a little bit more of the interview process. We’ve hired some new coaches, some new staff around the building.
“So being a part of that, how the inner workings of those decisions happen … and then sitting in on building out this offseason. So sitting in on the planning, listening to our health department work through our injured guys and their progress and how they are going to build that into our offseason program. That’s been really cool to be a part of really the backbone on how we’re going to do this thing.”
Kafka was asked the question that neither he nor Daboll has answered directly as of yet. Who will call the offensive plays this year?
“Every year is different. You got to go through the evaluation process, and this year is no different,” he said. “It’s day one of phase one, so there is a long time to go. But I’m excited and I’m excited in my role and doing whatever we can do to get better each day.”
So, the situation is still undecided, but Kafka reiterated there is no bad blood.
“I love working with Dabs,” he said.
The Giants have added some new coaches under Kafka this offseason, most notably offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. Kafka sat in the offensive line room on Monday and came away impressed and excited.
“Just energy. Just felt it,” Kafka said. “Guys asking great questions, creating the dialogue we’re looking for and coming together as a group. Five guys playing as one. … I’m excited for that room.
“We have a great influx of some new players and veteran players, and so we’re going to take the veteran guys we have, the young guys we have, and continue to develop them and just continue to build in that room.
“Carm comes from a similar system, so there is some terminology that carries over, so we were able to get through this process a little bit quicker than if it was a coach that didn’t have as much of a background as he has.
“Carm’s doing a hell of a job, and they’re ready to roll.”
The Giants will be returning left tackle Andrew Thomas and center John Michael Schmitz but will be mixing and matching at the guard positions and will once again give right tackle Evan Neal a shot to start.
