Mike Kafka is a finalist for the Arizona Cardinals job, and the NY Giants could be searching for a new offensive coordinator once again. No one in East Rutherford wants to see this happen this offseason.
The NFL took notice of Kafka’s wonderful job in New York, and losing him would be a significant loss for Brian Daboll and the Giants. However, Daboll has proven to be able to put together a heck of a staff, and Giants fans can trust him to find a suitable replacement if the time comes where Kafka takes his talents to Arizona. Here’s five candidates for the G-Men to look at if Kafka bolts:
5. NY Giants QB coach Shea Tierney
The obvious candidate for Mike Kafka’s replacement would be current Giants quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney. Tierney has a wealth of coaching experience in some impressive places, and has been a staple wherever Daboll has coached. It’s obvious the beloved Giants head coach thinks highly of his assistant, as he brought Tierney with him to East Rutherford from Buffalo.
In addition to his time with the Bills, Tierney also spent 2016-2017 as an offensive assistant with Daboll at the University of Alabama. He’s worked with some fantastic quarterbacks, and Daniel Jones had his best season with Tierney coaching him up.
The one problem is the Giants may miss their shot, as Tierney is being sought-after throughout the league, impressing in his interview with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If the AFC South franchise goes in a different direction and the Giants lose Kafka, it’s a no brainer to promote from within.
4. Buffalo Bills QB coach Joe Brady
Once upon a time, Joe Brady was the hottest offensive assistant in all of football. With his amazing work with Joe Burrow at LSU, Brady had his pick of the litter. Eventually, he chose to join Matt Rhule during his first foray into the NFL, a move that would prove disastrous. Afterwards, Brady took his talents to Buffalo, joining the Bills as their quarterbacks coach.
How far has Brady’s star fallen? Well, he’s still receiving interest for open offensive coordinator positions, so it’s obvious there’s plenty of interest in his abilities. Still just 33 years old, Brady has plenty of time to rebuild his resume, and there could be no better spot than with the Giants.
Brady got a raw deal in Carolina, as Christian McCaffrey was borderline invisible during his tenure due to injuries, and Brady was dealt Sam Darnold as his quarterback. Things would be much different in New York. Brady is going to get another shot. He’s proved he can be an awesome offensive coordinator, and Daboll should have no qualms on bringing him aboard if the opportunity arises.
3. Houston Texans OC Pep Hamilton
A finalist for the Giants job last season, Pep Hamilton could finally make his way over to New York from Houston in 2023. A staple under Jim Harbaugh in the past, Hamilton evolved into a tremendous coach and a solid offensive coordinator, even when dealing with terrible talent.
The Texans are a barren wasteland, but Hamilton did what he could do and made their offense look decent at times, especially quarterback Davis Mills. The Giants would be his highest-profile gig to date, and he would also have the help of Daboll in crafting his offense.
It could also prove to be a stepping stone to the long-awaited head coaching gig Hamilton has coveted, only receiving his shot in the short lived 2020 return of the XFL. It’s evident Daboll respects Hamilton, and he was almost the team’s offensive coordinator last season. It’d be a seamless pivot for both parties.
2. NY Giants WR coach Mike Groh
Mike Groh didn’t have much to work with as the Giants wide receivers coach in 2022, but he got more out of Darius Slayton, Richie James and others than imaginable. In addition to being an internal candidate, Groh knows how to be an offensive coordinator.
He spent 2018-2019 with the Philadelphia Eagles, trying to get the best out of Carson Wentz as he recovered from his ACL injury. While he was let go at the time for not getting the quarterback back to his high level of play, it became more than obvious that was out of Groh’s control.
Aside from his tenure with Philadelphia, Groh has had tons of success at the collegiate level, and is a Super Bowl champion as well. The Giants could do much worse with their hire than him. He’s far from the favorite and may not even be the best internal candidate, but that’s more to do with the strength of Daboll’s staff than Groh’s experience. He’d be a solid choice for promotion.
1. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich
Should Byron Leftwich have taken the Jacksonville Jaguars job instead of returning to coach Tom Brady and an injury-filled Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense? Probably. But as he looks to rebuild his coaching resume, becoming Brian Daboll’s right-hand man could be an awesome opportunity for Leftwich.
While 2022 was a season to forget, Leftwich impressed many with his coaching ability prior, and was a hot-name during last season’s coaching carousel. Additionally, Leftwich won a Super Bowl as an offensive coordinator, something not many coaches can say.
Still a young coach, Leftwich began his coaching career as an intern in 2016 and the former NFL quarterback is only scratching the surface of his coaching potential. If the Giants can nab him as their offensive coordinator, it’d be a nice get for Daboll and company.
The Giants head coach has proven time and time again it doesn’t matter if he knows you, he’s picking the best man for the job. The duo hasn’t worked together before, but neither did Daboll and Kafka, and that was a fantastic pairing. Perhaps the Giants can strike lightning in a bottle twice and bring on Leftwich as their guy.
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