As John Harbaugh continues building out his New York Giants staff, one name has been removed from contention entirely.
Former interim head coach Mike Kafka is putting a bow on his four-year tenure in East Rutherford and embracing gear-head life in the Motor City. NFL insider Tom Pelissero broke the news, stating Kaf would be joining Dan Campbell's Lions' staff -- get ready to learn biting kneecaps -- in a high-ranking offensive role:
Former Giants interim coach Mike Kafka is joining the Lions in a high-ranking offensive staff role, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 26, 2026
Kafka, 38, has been a finalist for multiple head coaching jobs in recent years. Now, an opportunity to learn from one of the best with Dan Campbell in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/9OVSRzeAvw
Maybe it was all the purple flooding Harby’s staff that ultimately pushed him away. Or maybe Kafka was never interested in returning unless it was as the head coach. Or maybe Harbs just didn’t want him back at all. Either way, it’s on to bigger and better things.
While working under a coach like Dan Campbell is certainly a privilege, the move feels a bit curious for the former offensive coordinator–turned–interim head coach. Not long ago, Kafka was interviewing for top jobs, including the Giants’ full-time gig. And while “high-ranking offensive role” sounds a lot like OC territory, that seat’s already been filled by Drew Petzing earlier this offseason.
With that in mind, we'll just consider this a really smart, forward-thinking move to save face and get his name back in good standing for more HC interest for next year's cycle.
Mike Kafka’s Lions move makes perfect sense for his coaching rebound
The 38-year-old leaves Big Blue having made a relatively decent-sized mark on the organization. He arrived with the then-head coach Brian Daboll in an effort to turn things around with Daniel Jones under center.
The hope was that Kafka would use what he learned coaching Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City and apply that to Jones, but that failed spectacularly. Instead, it was four years of chaos under center until Jaxson Dart got the start in Week 4 of the 2025 season. After one start, it was clear that the offensive mind was the real deal.
It was no surprise that he became the interim coach once the team finally fired Daboll midseason. In his brief stint as the leader, he stabilized the locker room, improved the offense, and earned respect for his leadership and accountability -- famously benching rookie linebacker Abdul Carter not once, but twice for sleeping through and being late to meetings.
But now he's heading to Michigan, where an incredible opportunity to restore his image awaits him. Call this the Giants do-over. For all the good press he built in KC, he'll need to make up for the four years of failing in NY.
The Lions have one of the best offensive situations in all of football -- Jared Goff at QB, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams at wideout, Penei Sewell at tackle, Sam LaPorta at tight end, and Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery at running back.
That unit helped former OC Ben Johnson land the HC job for the Chicago Bears last year. Who's to say the same can't or won't happen for another young, up-and-coming offensive mind like Kaf?