The Detroit Lions are making a splash hiring, bringing in former New York Giants offensive coordinator and interim head coach Mike Kafka in a “high-ranking offensive staff role,” as first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and confirmed by other league sources.
Kafka was a sought-after coaching candidate this offseason. Not only did he interview with the Lions for their offensive coordinator position before they eventually hired Drew Petzing, but he also interviewed for the Giants head coaching position and the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator position.
Kafka was on a short list of candidates that we profiled for the position, and here’s what we wrote in our candidates for offensive coordinator article earlier this offseason:
Kafka, a former quarterback, spent five seasons in the NFL before shifting to the coaching ranks. After playing under Andy Reid as a player in Philadelphia, Kafka joined Reid’s coaching staff in Kansas City in 2017. After five seasons with the Chiefs, Brian Daboll hired him to be his OC in New York, and halfway through the 2025 season, Kafka took over interim head coaching duties following Daboll’s firing.
After taking over as the Giants’ interim coach, Kafka dialed up the aggression on offense, reemphasized a focus on the run game, and the team played inspired ball the remainder of the season. Based on how he coached the Giants in the back half of the season, it appears several of his coaching values align with Campbell’s principles: run-heavy, aggressive concepts with aggression in key moments that create opportunities to win the game.
I broke down the Giants’ scheme after the promotion of Kafka, ahead of their matchup with the Lions, which highlights some traits that would make Kafka appealing to Detroit.
While it’s unclear what Kafka’s exact role will be at this time, this is a massive acquisition for the Lions. His offensive mind should mesh very well with coach Dan Campbell and Petzing, and for all intents and purposes, should give a significant boost to an already potent offense.
For all the Lions coaching moves and rumors, make sure to check out our 2026 Detroit Lions coaches tracker for all the latest news and rumors on the team’s coaching staff.
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