Mike Kafka is in his second season as the Giants' offensive coordinator and seventh as an NFL coach.
The offense significantly improved in Kafka's first season as coordinator.
The Giants' 365 points were 107 more than they scored in 2021. They averaged 333.9 yards a game, an increase of 46.6 yards per game. One year after averaging 99.3 rushing yards a game and 4.0 yards per carry, the Giants finished fourth in the NFL with 148.2 rushing yards a game and fifth with 4.8 yards a carry. Their 352 first downs were 53 more than the previous season.
Quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley their finest statistical seasons.
Jones completed 317 of 472 passes for 3,205 yards, all career highs. His 15 touchdown passes were the 2nd-highest total of his career, and his 5 interceptions were a career low. Jones' passer rating was a career-best 92.5 and his 67.16 completion percentage was a Giants' single season record. He had each of his five highest single-game completion percentages in 2022: 80.9 at Tennessee, 80.6 vs. Washington, 79.2 vs. Indianapolis, 77.8 at Green Bay and 76.5 vs. Houston. Jones led with NFL and set a franchise record by throwing an interception on just 1.1% of his passes (five in 472 throws).
In addition, Jones rushed for a Giants quarterback-record 708 yards and seven touchdowns on 120 carries, all the second-highest totals on the team.
Barkley was selected to his second Pro Bowl and was one of three players nominated for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. He had career-high totals of 295 carries for 1,312 yards – the NFL's fourth-highest total - and rushed for 10 touchdowns, one less than his career-high rookie total. Barkley was also the team's co-leader with 57 receptions and was seventh in the NFL with 1,650 scrimmage yards, almost double his 2021 total of 856.
Before coming to the Giants, Kafka, 36, spent five seasons as an assistant coach on Andy Reid's staff with the Kansas City Chiefs, the last two as the team's quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.
During Kafka's tenure in Kansas City, the Chiefs were one of the NFL's most successful teams and deployed one of the league's most prolific offenses. Patrick Mahomes became an NFL most valuable player and Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Mecole Hardman developed into elite receivers.
In 2021, the Chiefs advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the fourth consecutive year, a streak in which they advanced to two Super Bowls, winning one. Kansas City finished fourth in the NFL in scoring (28.2 points a game) third in total yardage (396.8) and fourth in passing yardage (281.8). Mahomes threw for 4,839 yards – his fourth consecutive 4,000-yard season - and 37 touchdowns against just 13 interceptions. Wide receiver Hill and tight end Kelce combined for 203 catches, 2,364 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season, while Hardman added 59 receptions 692 yards and two scores. The trio combined to score seven touchdowns in three postseason games.
The previous year, Mahomes threw for 4,740 yards and 38 touchdowns to become just the seventh player in NFL history to throw for 4,500+ passing yards and 35+ touchdown passes multiple times in his career. The Chiefs' passing game ranked first in the league in yards-per-game (303.4), third in average gain per pass play (7.48) and tied for third in passing touchdowns. Kansas City defeated Cleveland and Buffalo in the playoffs to advance to Super Bowl LV.
In 2019, Kafka led a quarterback group that finished first in third down percentage (47.6). Despite missing multiple games due to injury, Mahomes threw 26 touchdown passes. He concluded that season by rallying the Chiefs from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV for their first title in 50 years. At 24 years and 138 days old, Mahomes became youngest quarterback to be named Super Bowl MVP.
In Kafka's first year coaching Kansas City's quarterbacks in 2018, Mahomes was voted the league's MVP after becoming only the second quarterback to pass for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns passes in a season.
Kafka served as an offensive quality control coach in his first year with the Chiefs in 2017, when he mentored Mahomes during the quarterback's rookie season. Kansas City's offense featured a 4,000-yard passer (Alex Smith), 1,000-yard rusher (Kareem Hunt), receiver (Hill) and tight end (Kelce).
In 2016, Kafka served as an offensive graduate assistant at his alma mater, Northwestern University. With Kafka's assistance, the Wildcats averaged 398.2 yards per game and 26.0 points per game, and defeated Pittsburgh, 31-24, in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium.
Prior to becoming a coach, Kafka enjoyed a six-year NFL playing career, primarily as a backup quarterback and practice squad member with several teams.
Kafka was a fourth-round choice in the 2010 NFL Draft (122nd overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles, then coached by Reid, who has held the same position with the Chiefs since 2013. He played in four games, all with the 2011 Eagles (he completed four of seven passes vs. the Giants on Sept. 25). Kafka also did stints with New England, Tampa Bay and Minnesota, where he spent his final season in 2015.
Kafka played in 30 games at Northwestern, where he completed 408 of 637 passes (64.1%) for 4,265 yards with 19 touchdowns. He set single-game records in both passing yards (532 vs. Auburn, 2010) and rushing yards by a quarterback (217 vs. Minnesota, 2008). Additionally, his 3,725 yards of total offense as a senior in 2009 stands as the No. 2 season in program history.
A product of Chicago's St. Rita High School, Kafka earned a degree in communication studies from Northwestern.
Mike and his wife, Alli, have three children, Ashton, Jackson and Camden.
2016 Northwestern University offensive graduate assistant
2017 Kansas City Chiefs offensive quality control
2018-19 Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks
2020-21 Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks/passing game coordinator
2022-23 New York Giants offensive coordinator
