Kafka, 34, spent the previous 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 pass 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 who is included in any discussion of the league' best players.
In 2021, the Chiefs advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the fourth consecutive year, a streak in which they won Super Bowl LIV and advanced to the final game again last season. Kansas City finished fourth in the league 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 and 37 touchdowns against just 13 interceptions.
The previous year, Mahomes threw for 38 touchdowns and just six picks and 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 (40).
Mahomes concluded the 2019 season by rallying the Chiefs from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat San Francisco for their first Super Bowl victory in 50 years. At 24 years and 138 days old, Mahomes became the third-youngest player and youngest quarterback in NFL history to be named Super Bowl MVP
In Kafka's first year coaching quarterbacks in 2018, Mahomes was voted the league's MVP after he became only the second quarterback to pass for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in a season.
Kafka served as an offensive quality control coach in his first year in Kansas City in 2017.
"Mike obviously comes from (Chiefs coach) Andy Reid and a good system at Kansas City," coach Brian Daboll said. "He was part of a winning program and culture. He did a great job in helping Patrick Mahomes develop. Played the position. Very smart, very thorough, very level-headed and a good teammate."
Prior to joining the Chiefs, Kafka began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at Northwestern University, his alma mater.
Kafka was a fourth-round choice in the 2010 NFL Draft by Philadelphia, then coached by Reid, who has held the same position with the Chiefs since 2013. He appeared in four games, all with the 2011 Eagles (he completed four of seven passes vs. the Giants on Sept. 25). Kafka also had stints with New England, Tampa Bay and Minnesota, where he spent his final season in 2015.
In 30 games at Northwestern, Kafka completed 408 of 637 passes (64.1%) for 4,265 yards and 19 touchdowns.
