Mike Kafka is in his third season as the Giants' offensive coordinator and his first with the additional title of assistant head coach. This is his eighth season coaching in the NFL.
In 2023, Kafka directed an offense that improved and developed throughout the season despite a series of injuries at several positions. The Giants started three different quarterbacks as Daniel Jones played in only six games because of neck and knee injuries. Running back Saquon Barkley, tight end Darren Waller, tackles Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal, and center John Michael Schmitz were other frontline players who missed multiple games.
Despite the lineup shuffling, the Giants scored 25, 25, and 27 points in their final three games - against playoff teams Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Rams - three of their five highest point totals of the season.
Working with Kafka, a former quarterback, rookie Tommy DeVito started six games in Jones' absence and won half of them, leading the Giants to victories at Washington and in home games vs. New England and Green Bay. DeVito was the first Giants rookie quarterback to win three consecutive starts since Phil Simms won four in a row in 1979. He was just the third undrafted rookie quarterback since the 1970 merger to win three starts in a season, joining Ed Rubbert, who won three strike-replacement games for Washington in 1987, and Pittsburgh's Devlin Hodges in 2019.
DeVito's passer ratings in those three games were 137.7, 103.9 and 113.9. He was the first undrafted rookie since 1970 to have three consecutive games with a passer rating higher than 100. DeVito was the first Giants quarterback since Eli Manning in 2014 to record three straight games with a 100-plus passer rating.
DeVito was selected NFC Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Giants to a Monday night victory vs. the Packers. He completed 17 of 21 passes (season-high 81%) for 158 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions for a passer rating of 113.9 and added 10 rushing attempts for 71 yards. In the 74 seasons since the NFL began tracking starting quarterbacks in 1950, DeVito became the first starter in league history to complete at least 80% of his passes, rush for 70+ yards, commit no turnovers, and take no sacks.
He was the second undrafted rookie in the common-draft era (since 1967) with an 80+ completion percentage (minimum 15 attempts) in a game. DeVito's 71 rushing yards were the most by a Giants rookie quarterback in a game since 1960.
The Giants' offense significantly improved in Kafka's first season as coordinator. The team's 365 points were 107 more than they scored in 2021. They averaged 333.9 yards a game, an increase of 46.6 yards per game. One year after averaging 99.3 rushing yards a game and 4.0 yards per carry, the Giants finished fourth in the NFL with 148.2 rushing yards a game and fifth with 4.8 yards a carry. Their 352 first downs were 53 more than the previous season.
Jones had his finest statistical seasons while leading the Giants to their first playoff berth in six years. He completed 317 of 472 passes for 3,205 yards, all career highs. His 15 touchdown passes were the second-highest total of his career, and his five interceptions were a career low. Jones' passer rating was a career-best 92.5 and his 67.16 completion percentage was a Giants' single season record. Jones led with NFL and set a franchise record by throwing an interception on just 1.1% of his passes (five in 472 throws).
In addition, Jones rushed for a Giants quarterback-record 708 yards and seven touchdowns on 120 carries, all the second-highest totals on the team.
Before coming to the Giants, Kafka, 37, spent five seasons as an assistant coach on Andy Reid's staff with the Kansas City Chiefs, the last two as the team's quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.
During Kafka's tenure in Kansas City, the Chiefs were one of the NFL's most successful teams and deployed one of the league's most prolific offenses. Patrick Mahomes became an NFL most valuable player and Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Mecole Hardman developed into elite receivers.
In 2021, the Chiefs advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the fourth consecutive year, a streak in which they advanced to two Super Bowls, winning one. Kansas City finished fourth in the NFL in scoring (28.2 points a game) third in total yardage (396.8) and fourth in passing yardage (281.8). Mahomes threw for 4,839 yards – his fourth consecutive 4,000-yard season - and 37 touchdowns against just 13 interceptions. Wide receiver Hill and tight end Kelce combined for 203 catches, 2,364 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season, while Hardman added 59 receptions 692 yards and two scores. The trio combined to score seven touchdowns in three postseason games.
The previous year, Mahomes threw for 4,740 yards and 38 touchdowns to become just the seventh player in NFL history to throw for 4,500+ passing yards and 35+ touchdown passes multiple times in his career. The Chiefs' passing game ranked first in the league in yards-per-game (303.4), third in average gain per pass play (7.48) and tied for third in passing touchdowns.
In 2019, Mahomes threw 26 touchdown passes despite missing multiple games due to injury, He concluded that season by rallying the Chiefs from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV for their first title in 50 years. At 24 years and 138 days old, Mahomes became youngest quarterback to be named Super Bowl MVP.
In Kafka's first year coaching Kansas City's quarterbacks in 2018, Mahomes was voted the league's MVP after becoming only the second quarterback to pass for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns passes in a season.
Kafka served as an offensive quality control coach in his first year with the Chiefs in 2017, when he mentored Mahomes during the quarterback's rookie season.
In 2016, Kafka served as an offensive graduate assistant at his alma mater, Northwestern University. With Kafka's assistance, the Wildcats averaged 398.2 yards per game and 26.0 points per game, and defeated Pittsburgh, 31-24, in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium.
Prior to becoming a coach, Kafka enjoyed a six-year NFL playing career, primarily as a backup quarterback and practice squad member with several teams.
Kafka was a fourth-round choice in the 2010 NFL Draft (122nd overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles, then coached by Reid, who has held the same position with the Chiefs since 2013. He played in four games, all with the 2011 Eagles (he completed four of seven passes vs. the Giants on Sept. 25). Kafka also did stints with New England, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota, where he spent his final season in 2015.
Kafka played in 30 games at Northwestern, where he completed 408 of 637 passes (64.1%) for 4,265 yards with 19 touchdowns. He set single-game records in both passing yards (532 vs. Auburn, 2010) and rushing yards by a quarterback (217 vs. Minnesota, 2008). Additionally, his 3,725 yards of total offense as a senior in 2009 stands as the No. 2 season in program history.
A product of Chicago's St. Rita High School, Kafka earned a degree in communication studies from Northwestern.
Mike and his wife, Alli, have three children, Ashton, Jackson, and Camden.
2016 Northwestern University offensive graduate assistant
2017 Kansas City Chiefs offensive quality control
2018-19 Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks
2020-21 Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks/passing game coordinator
2022-24 New York Giants offensive coordinator
