Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka
May 19, 2022
Q. With the playbook, how much of it is this is what we're going to do juxtaposed to how much we actually have?
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, we're working through that right now. I think it's been really productive. We're throwing a lot at the guys. We're giving them a good amount of installs over the last few days. We did the same thing in phase 2, so they're kind of hearing it for the second time. But we've thrown a lot, a lot of concepts, and that's by design. We want to see how they think, how they operate under stress, how they operate kind of when bullets are flying a little bit, so it's been good for them.
Q. At what point does execution trump installation?
MIKE KAFKA: No, execution is always a primary focus. That's why we're giving them a lot, so we can see how they execute it. Then we can go back, watch the film, review it, the details on those, but it's been fun moving some pieces around and seeing guys in different spots, and again, learning. This is the part of that process right now in OTAs is learning the system, developing, growing within the system. We're happy where it's at.
Q. What were your impressions of Daniel Jones, if any, from afar, and what have you learned about him in particular here getting a chance to work with him?
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, I really enjoy working with him right now. He's a smart kid. He works hard. Those are all things that I had heard about him but being able to see it in person has been great. Right now, just developing that relationship with him is the most important thing, and out here in practice seeing him operate, seeing him communicate with the players and how he talks to each and every group has been really cool.
Q. You mentioned him being a smart guy. How do you see that for example?
MIKE KAFKA: Well, the amount of installs we're giving these guys, the plays, the load that we're going to give our players as far as install-wise, he's absorbing it and he's able to spit it back out, get guys fixed and cleaned up on the field. Those are things I'm looking just out of the gate, getting guys lined up correctly, getting the huddle, sharp, crisp. Those are things that are important for pre-snap stuff.
Q. You and Brian Daboll obviously hadn't worked together before and you both come from different systems. What's the process been like of combining your thoughts and your process for the playbook and all that?
MIKE KAFKA: We actually did. I played for New England when he was in New England for a year back in 2014, so we had a little bit of a relationship. We've been building that over the years, at combines, texting in the off-season and stuff like that. Dabs has been great. Our relationship has continued to build as we go through the phases.
Q. Was it hard for you to leave Kansas City?
MIKE KAFKA: Yes, it's a great team. It was an awesome experience. But this opportunity was something that was special to me and my family. It wasn't just something I took on a whim. I wasn't just going to go to any team. It had to be built the right way with the people, the Mara family, Dabs, Joe (Schoen), the players that we had here. So it was all that encompassed. But of course, I have a lot of great relationships and great people in the Chiefs organization, and I respect them and have a lot of respect for the coaching staff and the guys there.
Q. How much did the potential to call plays factor into that? Obviously coaches when they want to go to the next level, that usually plays a significant part of it.
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, I think Dabs kind of touched on that. Right now in phase 3, we're just taking it kind of day by day. I'm calling the plays for the quarterbacks in practice, and then we'll let Dabs evaluate that, and he has every right to evaluate how he wants to handle that.
Q. You would like to do that at some point for your progression, your professional advancement?
MIKE KAFKA: Of course. I think every offensive coordinator aspires to call plays, so yes.
Q. And you have not done that before; is that correct, called plays?
MIKE KAFKA: Have not.
Q. Is there a special quality to being a good play caller? You watched a pretty good one the last three years.
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah.
Q. What would you aspire to be in that role?
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, I think the preparation. You have to have a feel for the game, understand what your players do best, put them in a good spot to be successful, understanding what the defense is presenting you and how you can attack it. So it's kind of all encompassing.
Q. You talked a lot about you guys having to kind of meld your offense. How similar are they? How do you decide what kind of comes, what doesn't?
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, that's been interesting. So when I was in New England with him, obviously the grassroots of it are kind of built from that system, but it's evolved so much since that time. Really when I came in here, we were kind of starting to talk about the offense and realized how similar it really was to when we were in Kansas City. Some of the verbiage is different, but that has been a great process. We understand the concepts, we understand how we want to get it done, now it's just about communicating it and tightening it up and making it simple for the players.
Q. The word explosive has been used in describing the offense. How do you make an offense that's going to generate explosive plays? What are the keys to doing that?
MIKE KAFKA: Putting your players in the right spot and understanding that if we can find ‘tells’ with the defense that they're going to be in a certain coverage or in a certain look, we can get a certain matchup. I've always believed it's a players' game, so giving our guys an opportunity to make plays down the field is a part of that, too.
Q. A position that you guys have probably turned over the most since you got here is offensive line. Where do you feel like that group is as a whole? And then you played quarterback, so how would you feel about having two young bookend tackles blocking for you, high draft picks but young guys?
MIKE KAFKA: First off, I think Joe (Schoen) and his staff have done a good job of adding competition to the room, adding talent to the room. That's been great. We're in phase 3 right now. There's no pads out here, but I like the group. They’re working. Bobby (Johnson) and Tony (Sparano) are doing a great job, phenomenal job of getting those guys in the right spot. I'm happy where they're at right now. We still have a long way to go and improve, but it's a talented group, great personalities, so love the room right now.
Q. What's been your impression of Kadarius Toney so far and what he can bring to your offense?
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, he's been really attentive in meetings. He's doing all the right things on and off the field. I love his personality. He's one of those guys that brings a smile to the room. He has a bright personality. He's been great to work with.
Q. What about in terms of his skills? What do you like about him as a receiver?
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, he's a dynamic player. He has play-making ability on the perimeter, inside, downfield, in short area. He's one of those guys that you look for to make plays for us.
Q. At Kansas City you guys did a lot of sharing the ball with the running backs certainly, different kind of guys. You did not have a Saquon Barkley type of guy I don't think or a very high draft pick. What do you see when you inherit him, and can he be a work horse for you do you think?
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, absolutely. I think Saquon is that type of player that you want to be able to give him the ball and you want him to touch the ball as much as you can. I think he's dynamic out in space, and he's done a good job in this camp here just being assignment sound, working on the fundamentals. Right now that's what we're looking for.
I think as we start to understand our players, understand who we want to be on offense, I think we have a good plan and a good vision for what that is, but right now on the practice field is what's kind of declaring it. So Saquon is a part of that as well as the rest of that running back room.
Q. When we watch you, how much of what we will see is Andy Reid?
MIKE KAFKA: Well, I think what you're going to see here is the Giants' offense. I think right now as a coaching staff what Dabs is figuring out how we want to put our guys in the right spots, but we're working towards making it the Giants' offense, not the Bills or any other team, the Chiefs. Those are great experiences we can lean on, but this is the Giants' offense.
Q. How did he develop you, though? How are you different from having worked with him?
MIKE KAFKA: With Andy?
Q. Yeah.
MIKE KAFKA: I think everyone has to have their own personality to it. Again, those were great learning experiences that I had there, but that's in the past. Right now is today in phase 3. We have our installs. We have all our installs scripted for the remainder of the camp. We're working within the daily installs, working out the details, making sure we continue to fine tune those things in our offense.
Q. What about Kenny Golladay? He didn't have a great year here last year. What have you learned about him and how can you maximize him?
MIKE KAFKA: Love Kenny Golladay. St. Rita guy, a St. Rita guy, so my alma mater, so nothing but great things to say about Kenny. But he's done a great job. In that receiver room, he's one of those guys that you lean on for veteran leadership in that room. There's several other guys in there, too, that bring that. So he brings that dynamic. He's been around. He's played some football and kind of that veteran experience there.
Q. Given that experience with Andy, Brian has also taken a lot in the past of 21 personnel. How has that personnel shaped your outlook as far as using the fullback or maybe two running backs?
MIKE KAFKA: I think that's interesting because you can kind of declare some looks from the defense. I think that definitely opens up some certain packages on offense. Again, we're going to evaluate all of that on a week-to-week basis, on a daily basis, understanding who's that guy, how we want to use him, what looks are we going to potentially get from the defense and how can we use that to our advantage. It's absolutely on the table so we’ll just keep on evaluating it.
Q. In regards to Daniel, how do you think you can help get him to the next level, and in what ways can you provide him support?
MIKE KAFKA: Yeah, we're very early in the offense, in the offensive program really. We're continuing to work daily on just our job, working his fundamentals, his techniques. I think as he gets more comfortable in the system and with what we're doing offensively, you'll see him continue to get better. That's every player really. I think Daniel is a smart guy. He's going to work at it. You tell him one thing he's going to spend all day thinking about it and working at it, and that's what I appreciate. And that is what all the coaching staff has appreciated.
"Putting your players in the right spot and understanding that if we can find ‘tells’ with the defense that they're going to be in a certain coverage or in a certain look, we can get a certain matchup."
I'm hopeful.