Watching his defense surrender another 30-plus points, while blowing yet another double-digit fourth-quarter lead, was enough for Mike Kafka to finally make a move. The New York Giants fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen on Monday morning.
The interim head coach did enough to win their 34-27 overtime Week 12 loss to the Detroit Lions. He had the offense looking great, even sprinkling in some incredible trick plays into the game plan. But the 517-yard effort was all for naught, as Big Blue became the first team in the league to lose a game with over 500 yards of total offense -- and the first to be officially eliminated from the playoffs.
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If the 38-year-old coordinator-turned-interim HC was going to have any shot at keeping his hopes alive of being the guy long-term, parting ways with Bowen made perfect sense. With Bowen gone, NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will serve as the interim defensive coordinator for the rest of the season.
Bullen now joins interim offensive coordinator (and former tight ends coach) Tim Kelly as part of Kafka’s midseason shakeup.
Mike Kafka promotes Charlie Bullen to interim DC after Shane Bowen’s firing
The choice to hand over the reins to Bullen is... interesting. At least, according to The Athletic's Dan Duggan, it is:
Bullen’s an interesting choice. No DC experience, unlike DL coach Andre Patterson and DB coach Marquand Manuel https://t.co/LEPGfqUDkq
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) November 24, 2025
Duggan raises a good point. Kaf does have two former DCs on his staff in Marquand Manuel and Andre Patterson, but opted to go with the 41-year-old instead. Unexpected is an understatement here, but when you're backed against the wall, it's anything goes.
Bullen is in his second year with the G-Men, after a bunch of stints all over the map, including a lot of experience in the college ranks:
- 2024-25: New York Giants – Outside Linebackers
- 2023: Illinois – Outside Linebackers / Pass Rush Coordinator
- 2020-22: Arizona Cardinals – Outside Linebackers
- 2019: Arizona Cardinals – Assistant Linebackers
- 2016-18: Miami Dolphins – Assistant Linebackers
- 2013-15: Miami Dolphins – Assistant Defensive Line
- 2012: Miami Dolphins – Defensive Assistant
- 2009-11: Iowa – Graduate Assistant (Defensive Backs)
- 2007-08: Iowa – Student Assistant (Quarterbacks)
Funny enough, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero actually listed Bullen as a young coach to watch moving forward last week.
It would have been easy for Kafka to just throw Patterson or Manuel into the vacancy, but his selection of Bullen leads me to believe he’s looking for fresh blood and a new energy. No, he doesn’t come with prior experience, but at 2-10, it really doesn’t matter. Right now it’s all about one thing: salvaging whatever they can of one of the worst seasons in Giants football history.