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The Kansas City Chiefs are losing their quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator, as Mike Kafka is expected to join the New York Giants as their offensive coordinator. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo said the deal wasn’t quite done as of Thursday afternoon, but it was headed in that direction.
The #Giants are expected to hire #Chiefs QB coach Mike Kafka as their offensive coordinator, sources tell me and @RapSheet. Deal not done yet but that's the way it's headed.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 3, 2022
Kafka, 34, began his NFL career as a fourth-round draft pick made by Andy Reid when he was the head coach and personnel decision-maker of the Philadelphia Eagles. Following a six-year playing career, Kafka spent 2016 as a graduate assistant at Northwestern before joining the Chiefs as an offensive quality control coach in 2017.
Kafka was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2018 and added passing game coordinator to his title for the 2020 season. The latter promotion happened as former Chiefs coordinator Doug Pederson attempted to make him the offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles, but it was reportedly blocked by Reid and the Chiefs.
The expectation was that Reid would promote Kafka to offensive coordinator with the Chiefs when current offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy earned a head coaching position, but that has not happened — despite Bienimey having interviews the last four offseasons.
Believe Kafka will call plays. Put together #Chiefs passing game concepts, which were among best in #NFL.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) February 3, 2022
Need help on OL, but lots of talent to work with at WR. https://t.co/7amQfWHV3M
Reid often gives Kafka credit for the development of Patrick Mahomes, and his tutelage included Mahomes’ 5,000-yard, 50-touchdown NFL MVP season in 2018.
“He spends a ton of time with those guys, the young guys,” said Reid back in May 2021. “He spends a ton of time with the quarterbacks, but that’s one of those positions that when you start fresh, in one case when you have a player that’s never called a play in the huddle or period since high school or college, he’s never had to get in the huddle and nail it down for the guys. It takes a ton of time, and Mike’s got the patience to do that, and I thought he did a tremendous job with those guys to get them. Plus, the more they know, the calmer they are. Doesn’t matter who’s around them. I’m not playing. I’m not the secondary. I’m not the linebackers, so get to know what you need to know and let’s go. That’s a blessed room right there. They’ve got some good coaches in there.”
The Chiefs now have two coaching vacancies to fill: linebackers coach and quarterbacks coach.
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