The New Orleans Saints have joined the Chicago Bears in requesting an interview with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka for their head coaching vacancy. For those keeping score at home, that’s two head coaching interviews in as many days for Kafka—despite being part of one of the NFL’s worst offenses in 2024.
#Giants OC Mike Kafka will interview for the #Bears and #Saints head coaching jobs on Thursday, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 8, 2025
On paper, Kafka’s resume looks intriguing. He cut his teeth under Andy Reid in Kansas City, working with Patrick Mahomes during his rise to superstardom. Then, in 2022, Kafka’s first season as New York’s offensive coordinator, he helped guide the Giants to a surprise playoff win. But since then? It’s been rough. So rough, in fact, that Brian Daboll stripped Kafka of play-calling duties this past season as the Giants’ offense spiraled into a bottomless pit of despair.
Given that history, the Saints’ interest feels... curious. What exactly are they seeing that’s inspiring this level of confidence?
One team’s demoted offensive coordinator, another team’s potential head coach?
The Saints aren’t messing around in their head coaching search. Alongside Kafka, New Orleans has requested interviews with a variety of candidates, including heavyweights like Aaron Glenn and Mike Vrabel, rising stars like Kellen Moore and Joe Brady, and more out-there options like David Shaw and Anthony Weaver.
The team appears to be casting a wide net after finishing a disappointing 5-12 and parting ways with Dennis Allen midseason. Whether their interest in Kafka signals a genuine belief in his potential or just a data-gathering mission remains to be seen, but it’s clear they’re exploring every option to rebuild after a brutal campaign.
From the outside, it’s easy to wonder why teams like the Saints and Bears are so eager to court Kafka when his recent track record with the Giants is anything but sparkling. The Giants’ offense was downright unwatchable for stretches of 2024, and while Kafka wasn’t fully in control, it’s hard to say he was blameless.
But maybe the Saints are focusing on what Kafka showed before his New York struggles. His time with the Chiefs, where he worked closely with Mahomes and helped engineer one of the most dynamic passing attacks in NFL history, clearly still holds weight in coaching circles.
It’s also worth noting that teams love hiring young, offensive-minded candidates—especially ones with ties to successful programs like Kansas City.
For the Saints, who face an uncertain quarterback situation and a roster in flux, Kafka represents a gamble. They’re betting his experience with the Chiefs and early promise with the Giants outweigh the past two years’ struggles. It’s a bold move, but the upside is there if Kafka can recapture the magic of his Kansas City days.
As for the Giants? Losing Kafka wouldn’t necessarily be the worst thing in the world. If anything, it opens the door for a much-needed reset. With the team likely finding their franchise quarterback, a fresh perspective in the offensive room might be just what they need to turn things around.
For now, though, Giants fans will be watching closely to see if Kafka lands a head coaching job—and whether the Saints or Bears will end up regretting it.