Mike Kafka
Michael John Kafka (born July 25, 1987) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). After attending St. Rita of Cascia High School in Chicago, Illinois, he played college football for the Northwestern Wildcats, receiving second-team All-Big Ten Conference honors as a senior.[1] He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL draft, and spent six seasons in the NFL as a journeyman quarterback. Kafka became the quarterbacks coach for the Chiefs in 2018, and Patrick Mahomes, the starting quarterback for the Chiefs, earned the NFL Most Valuable Player award that season. Kafka helped the team win Super Bowl LIV the following season.
New York Giants
July 25, 1987
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
St. Rita (Chicago)
Northwestern (2005–2009)
2010 / Round: 4 / Pick: 122
11
11
16
107
0–2
47.7
Despite being the backup quarterback in 2008 for Northwestern, Kafka finished second on the team in rushing yards with 321. Following C. J. Bachér's graduation, Kafka became the starter for 2009. Against Syracuse, he set the school record for most consecutive pass completions with 16. In the same game, he became the first Big Ten Conference player to score a passing, receiving, and rushing touchdown since Zack Mills from Penn State in 2004. He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.[2] In the 2010 Outback Bowl against Auburn, Kafka set the all-time bowl record with 47 completions and 78 passing attempts. He set Northwestern and Outback Bowl records with 532 passing yards and an Outback Bowl record with five interceptions.[3]
Kafka spent two seasons as a member of the Eagles. In 2010, he was the third-string quarterback behind Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb but did not see playing time. He was mainly the third-string quarterback again in 2011 behind Vick and Vince Young, but saw some playing time in two games early in the season, both of which resulted in losses. He was expected to be the backup quarterback behind Vick in 2012 but a broken hand caused him to miss time in the preseason and was ultimately released in favor of rookie Nick Foles and veteran Trent Edwards. Kafka spent time on offseason rosters with the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013, on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad in 2014, on the preseason roster with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015, and on the practice squad for the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals in 2015.
Kafka became a graduate assistant with the Northwestern football team in 2016, and was hired by the Chiefs as an offensive quality control coach in 2017. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2018, and helped the team win the Super Bowl during the 2019 season, his first as a player or coach. He was given an additional title of passing game coordinator in 2020. After the 2021 season, he joined the Giants as their offensive coordinator. He added the title of assistant head coach with the Giants in 2024.
College career[edit]
2005–2007[edit]
During the 2005 season, his first year, Kafka redshirted in order for him to learn the Northwestern Wildcats' offensive system.[6]
In his Northwestern career debut on September 1, 2006, against Miami University, Kafka threw for 106 yards and one touchdown on 13 completions out of 17 attempts.[8] His first touchdown was a 19-yard pass to running back Tyrell Sutton. He led all players with 89 yards rushing on 17 rushing attempts.[9] His passer rating for that game was 148.26 as Northwestern went on to win 21–3.[6][10] The following week against New Hampshire on September 9, Kafka went 19–32 and threw for 173 yards along with one interception and a fumble.[11] He rushed for 42 yards. The Wildcats ended up losing the game, 34–17.[12] Kafka played the first half of the game against Eastern Michigan in the third week of the season and rushed for 33 yards with a 6.6 yards per run average, along with his first career rushing touchdown, a six-yard run. He passed for 76 yards and completed 10 out of 18 passes with an interception.[13]
Days before Northwestern faced Nevada in the fourth game of the season, head coach Pat Fitzgerald confirmed that Kafka would remain the starter despite his poor prior performances.[14] In the game, Kafka ran for a career-high 111 yards, which included a 13-yard touchdown rush, and averaged 9.2 yards per run. He passed for 122 yards, completing 9 out of 21 passes and three interceptions.[15] His 111 yards rushing were the most by a Northwestern quarterback since Zak Kustok ran for 111 yards in a November 21, 2001, game versus Bowling Green. Kafka suffered a hamstring injury during the game, which kept him out of the next three games of the season.[6] One of the games he missed was the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I-A history, an eventual 41–38 loss to Michigan State on October 21. Kafka made his first appearance since the injury against Ohio State on November 11, in which he passed for 17 yards and completed four out of eight passes.[16]
In 2007, Kafka was a backup and only played in two games, in which he passed for 11 yards on two completions and rushed for eight yards.[6][17][18]
2008 season[edit]
Kafka entered the 2008 season as a backup quarterback behind C. J. Bachér.[6] Against Syracuse, Kafka entered the game in the fourth quarter and rushed twice for 18 yards.[19] Against Southern Illinois, he threw two passes, completing one for one yard, in addition to rushing for three yards.[20] He played in the final series at Indiana and completed a pass, which went for nine yards.[21]
Starting in place of the injured Bachér for the game[22] against Minnesota, Kafka ran for 217 yards on 27 attempts, which included a 53-yard run, and passed for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 12 completions out of 16 throws.[23] His 217 rushing yards set a school and Big Ten Conference record for quarterback rushing yards in a game.[22] The Big Ten record was later beaten in 2010 by Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson on September 11, 2010.[24] Kafka began the game by completing his first eight throws, which included a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Ebert.[25] He was named the team's offensive player of the week after that game, along with being named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Kafka earned an ESPN College Gameday Helmet Sticker and was named an AT&T All-America Player of the Week candidate.[6]
The next week, Kafka started in his second straight game against Ohio State, and passed for 177 yards while completing 18-of-27 throws. He ran for 83 yards and a touchdown on 29 attempts.[26] He ran for 300 yards in his two starts against Ohio State, which is the most by a Northwestern quarterback in successive contests. He was named the team's offensive big playmaker for the game.[6]
Against Michigan, he entered the game in Northwestern's second series on offense and rushed for 20 yards on three carries[27] before he was forced to leave the game after suffering a concussion.[28] He ran for one yard on three carries against Illinois.[29]
Kafka passed for 330 yards during the season along with two touchdowns on 32 completions and 46 total attempts. He finished second on the team in rushing with 321 yards.[6]
2009 season[edit]
Kafka entered his senior season as Northwestern's starting quarterback after C. J. Bachér graduated. He was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list, along with 19 other players nationally, with two others in the Big Ten Conference.[6] Texas quarterback Colt McCoy eventually won the award.[30] In the offseason, Kafka was tutored by offensive coordinator Mick McCall and former Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez.[31] Kafka was named co-captain for the 2009 season.[32]
At home against Towson on September 5 to start the 2009 season, Kafka threw 15-of-20 attempts for 192 yards, setting a career-high for passing yards in a game. He ran for six yards on six carries in a blowout 47–14 win.[33] Against Eastern Michigan at home on September 12, he threw for 158 yards and one interception on 14 completions out of 24 attempts. He ran for 21 yards on five runs in the close 27–24 win over the Eagles.[34]
During the Syracuse game, Kafka set a school record for consecutive completions in a game with 16, breaking the 47-year-old record set by Tom Myers in 1962. He set a new career-high in passing yards in a game by passing for 390 yards, breaking his previous career-high in the season opener. Kafka also ran for a three-yard touchdown and threw three touchdown passes along with an interception. He caught a receiving touchdown when he tossed a lateral to Andrew Brewer who threw it back to Kafka for a 24-yard touchdown. Kafka became the first Big Ten Conference player to score at least one passing, receiving and rushing touchdown in a game since Zack Mills from Penn State accomplished it on September 4, 2004, against Akron. Kafka finished the game with 35 completions on 42 attempts. However, despite his record-breaking performance, the Wildcats lost 37–34.[35] He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week on September 20 for his performance.[2]
Kafka passed for 309 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Minnesota. He took four sacks and during a desperation drive to win the game, fumbled the football, which helped end the game and give the Golden Gophers the win.[36][37] In the Purdue game, Kafka went 28-of-44 and threw for 224 yards. He rushed for a season-high 39 yards on 18 carries and ran for the game-winning two-yard touchdown. After leading after the touchdown 25–21, Kafka threw a successful two-point conversion pass to Drake Dunsmore to increase the lead by six to win the game after Purdue failed to score on the final drive of the game.[38][39]
Kafka went 15 completions of 31 attempts for 191 yards and one interception to lead Northwestern to a 16–6 win over Miami (OH) in the sixth game of the season. He was the leading rusher for Northwestern, rushing for 53 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.[40] In the 24–14 loss at Michigan State on October 17, Kafka went 34-for-47 and threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns. He was the leading rusher for the second straight week for Northwestern, rushing for 42 yards on 18 carries.[41]
In a come-from-behind win against Indiana, the Wildcats trailed 28–3 during the second quarter before Kafka ran for a one-yard touchdown and later passed for two touchdowns to lead Northwestern to a 29–28 win. The Wildcats overcame a 25-point deficit, which was the biggest comeback in school history.[42] He went 26-of-46 and passed for 312 yards, along with two touchdowns and a career-tying three interceptions. He rushed for 65 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown.[43] Kafka totaled 377 yards of total offense, which was second-best in his career.[42] Against 12th ranked Penn State, Kafka went 14-for-18 and passed for 128 yards, along with rushing for 42 yards on eight carries and a touchdown before leaving the game with a leg injury during the second quarter.[44] He was replaced by backup Dan Persa.[45]
Kafka shared time at quarterback with Persa due to his strained hamstring on November 7 against the 4th-ranked, and previously undefeated, Iowa Hawkeyes. Northwestern coming into the game was a 16-point underdog, but still beat Iowa 17–10 in Northwestern's first win over a nationally ranked top-ten team since they won against Ohio State in 2004.[46] Persa had to leave the game early to receive X-rays for a hand injury, which forced Kafka to play more than original planned.[47] He finished as Northwestern's leading passer with 72 yards on ten completions.[48]
Against Illinois on November 14, Kafka threw for 305 yards and went 23-of-37, along with a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Zeke Markshausen. He rushed seven times for 12 yards and a one-yard touchdown to beat the Fighting Illini 21–16. Kafka threw for 300 or more yards for the fourth time that season.[49] Against 16th-ranked Wisconsin on November 21, Kafka went 26-of-40 for 326 yards and two touchdowns, both to converted wide receiver Andrew Brewer. He rushed for 17 yards on seven carries to upset the Badgers with a 33–31 win.[50] Kafka threw for 300 or more yards for the fifth time in the season and for the second straight game.[51] He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Wisconsin.[52]
Professional playing career[edit]
Pre-draft[edit]
Prior to the 2010 NFL draft, Kafka was projected to be drafted in the sixth round by NFLDraftScout.com and as high as the fourth round. He was rated as the eleventh-best quarterback in the draft.[64][65] Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald said at the time that 85 NFL scouts, general managers and personnel directors who watched film or came to see a game or a practice said about Kafka was that he "throws a lot better than our No. 3 [quarterback] does right now." Fitzgerald also said that he would be "shocked" if Kafka was not drafted in the 2010 draft.[66] After the Outback Bowl loss to Auburn on January 1, in which Kafka threw 78 passes for 532 yards, Fitzgerald said, "I hope the NFL sees the same thing that I see, a man with a big-time arm."[67] An NFL general manager said at the 2010 Senior Bowl that Kafka could be drafted as high as the third round.[68]
Kafka was invited to the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, which started on February 24, along with teammates Corey Wootton and Sherrick McManis.[69] Kafka chose Mike McCartney of Priority Sports of Chicago as his agent, who also represented Wootton.[70] Priority hired former Chicago Bears quarterback Erik Kramer and a trainer in Phoenix, Arizona, to help Kafka prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine.[71] To get ready for the Combine, Kafka worked out twice a day in Arizona and held practice sessions with Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate.[68] Kafka chose not to bench press at the NFL Combine.[64] On February 28, Kafka answered 35 out of the 50 questions on the Wonderlic test, and was "99 percent sure" that he answered all 35 correctly.[72] Kafka had some of the best measurements in the vertical jump, broad jump, 60-yard shuttle, and three-cone drill among all quarterbacks.[73]
Coaching career[edit]
Kansas City Chiefs[edit]
On March 29, 2016, Kafka was hired as an offensive graduate assistant at Northwestern University.[170][171] A year later, on February 7, 2017, Kafka was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs to be their offensive quality control coach,[172] reuniting him with a coach from his playing career, Andy Reid. Kafka was promoted to quarterbacks coach on January 26, 2018.[173] In 2018, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned his first Pro Bowl selection and was named NFL Most Valuable Player after the season.[174] The Chiefs went to the AFC Championship Game but lost to the New England Patriots.[175]
Mahomes was named to his second Pro Bowl during the 2019 season.[176] The Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV on February 2, 2020, against the San Francisco 49ers, with Mahomes earning Super Bowl MVP honors.[177][178] The Chiefs gave Kafka an additional coaching title of passing game coordinator on March 6, 2020.[179] Mahomes earned a third Pro Bowl selection in 2020.[180] The Chiefs appeared in Super Bowl LV,[181] with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeating them 31–9.[182] Kafka missed the team's week 16 game in 2021 against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to COVID-19 protocols.[183] The Chiefs appeared in the AFC Championship Game for the fourth consecutive season,[184] losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 27–24.[185] Mahomes earned another Pro Bowl selection following the season.[186]
New York Giants[edit]
Kafka was hired by the New York Giants on February 11, 2022, to be their offensive coordinator under newly-hired head coach Brian Daboll.[187] Kafka called the offensive plays for the team during the preseason and training camp.[188] On September 5, 2022, it was announced that Kafka would remain the play-caller for the regular season after a strong preseason.[189] In 2022, the Giants earned their first postseason win in 11 seasons.[4]
Kafka interviewed with the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts for their head coach positions on January 22, 2023;[190][191][192] the Arizona Cardinals interviewed him for their head coach job on January 31.[193] He completed second interviews with the Texans on January 25 and Cardinals on February 7.[194][195]
Kafka had a virtual interview with the Tennessee Titans for their head coach job on January 12, 2024.[196] He interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks head coaching position as well.[197] Kafka was the head coach for the West team during the 2024 East–West Shrine Bowl on February 1, 2024.[198] He was given an additional title of assistant head coach by the Giants on February 7, 2024.[199]
Personal life[edit]
Kafka majored in communication studies at Northwestern University.[6] Mike's brother, Jason, was a pitcher for the independent Windy City ThunderBolts and attended St. Rita of Cascia High School. Both Kafkas were recruited by Ken Margerum, who is now an assistant at San Jose State.[37] Mike Kafka is married to his wife, Allison,[155] and they have a daughter.[200]
Kafka worked as an instructor at former Northwestern teammate Brett Basanez's prep quarterback development camps in Woodbury, Minnesota and Minnetonka, Minnesota, in mid-2011.[201] Kafka worked at a Pop Warner Football passing camp, Three5Seven, with former Northwestern teammate Chris Malleo in July 2011.[202] On November 13, 2014, Kafka started a Kickstarter campaign for his product, the Roo Inferno, a type of hand warmer for both athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. The campaign successfully gained $15,974 from 124 backers on December 18, 2014.[203] With help from the NFL and the University of Miami, Kafka began an executive Master of Business Administration program catered towards NFL players in 2015.[155]