Former New York Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka is leaving the organization for a new opportunity.
Kafka is taking an offensive assistant job with the Detroit Lions, according to Jordan Ranaan of ESPN. The 38-year-old was the Giants’ interim coach for their final seven games this season.
Mike Kafka is being hired by the Lions, per source. As others noted it's expected to be a high-ranking offensive assistant role.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) January 26, 2026
Kafka was Giants interim coach this year. Also their OC and assistant HC. NY's offense was noticeably better when he called plays during his tenure.
The Lions have already hired a new offensive coordinator, so Kafka’s role will be different. After the team regressed on offense last season, they are clearly determined not to have that happen again by loading up their staff with bright offensive minds.
The Giants’ offense looked fairly sharp under Kafka last season. They finished the year by scoring 34 points in back-to-back games. Notably, they also put up 27 points against Detroit in an overtime loss, despite backup Jameis Winston quarterbacking them during that game.
Kafka has been linked to head coaching jobs before, and did not really hurt himself during his time in New York. The Lions have to be pleased to land him without even having to give him a coordinator job.
