Mike Kafka is gaining more rapid-fire experience making “tough decisions” than he would like.
The latest came last Friday, when the Giants interim head coach fired assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox. He already had fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and twice benched rookie Abdul Carter for missing team responsibilities.
“I’m not going to get into the details of what happened with B. Cox — just the same as I’m not going to get into the details of how we handle our players,” Kafka said. “Being in this job for the last few weeks … I think what I’ve learned is, ‘How can we continue to put this team in the best position to win games?’ And that’s what I’m evaluating.”
If the bye-week change strictly was based on on-field performance and being ranked last in the NFL in rushing defense, Kafka likely would’ve started with holding defensive line coach Andre Patterson accountable instead of his top lieutenant.
The notoriously outspoken Cox was an ally of former head coach Brian Daboll’s.
Daboll and Cox had a close player-coach relationship in the early 2000s, and Daboll gave Cox a second chance after he was fired by the Falcons in 2017 for allegedly shoving a Cardinals scout. Some people within the Giants were not pleased with the decision to elevate Charlie Bullen over other veteran assistants as interim defensive coordinator and questioned whether general manager Joe Schoen’s longtime relationship with Bullen played a part in the decision.
It is unknown what prompted Cox’s dismissal. He poured a lot of time into developing defensive tackle Jordon Riley, who was just plucked off the practice squad by the Packers.
“Everything top to bottom, taking the time to do that, being very detailed, I would say just having a good pulse of what this team needs and understanding how I want to get that done and just having a clear message there,” Kafka said. “So, that’s what we thought was best for the team. That’s what I thought was best for the team. So, we went with it.”
The Giants opened the 21-day return-to-practice windows for CB Art Green and LB Darius Muasau, both of whom have missed four games on injured reserve.
The returns from injury of RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., who hurt his hip at the end of last game, edge Kayvon Thibodeaux and LB Micah McFadden would provide more help.
McFadden, who has been out since Week 1 with a Lisfranc foot injury, “does have a chance” to return. Kafka had less information available on Tracy and Thibodeaux.
Kafka, 38, is six years younger than new Colts practice squad quarterback Philip Rivers, who is back in the NFL after retiring in 2020. Kafka was drafted six years after Rivers and spent six years in the NFL as a backup quarterback.
“I know where you’re going with this,” Kafka laughed at the mention of Rivers’ name. “My time is over. But that’s awesome. I hope he does great.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
