The Giants’ first major tweak after losing Malik Nabers for the season was to find ways to get more production out of tight ends Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger.
That was the product of Mike Kafka’s faith in Tim Kelly, and a precursor to a partnership that’s important now that one of Kafka’s first big decisions as interim head coach was to elevate Kelly from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator.
Kafka will remain the play-caller.
“Tim is a really good coach in terms of detail,” Kafka said. “He has a really firm grounding in the system and a confidante I would lean on as a coordinator. He was really an easy fit for us.”
Kelly has four seasons of experience as an offensive coordinator for the Texans and Titans, including three as a play-caller.
Since joining the Giants in 2024, Kelly focused mostly on run-game strategy but now will expand his role beginning Sunday against the Packers.
“More involved with the totality of the game plan,” Kelly said. “Making sure [of] tying everything together. Trying to take some of the stress off of [Kafka] from game-planning. We can kind of set the table, and he comes into the meeting and knows what we want and can trim down the menu and make sure we get exactly what he wants the way he wants it.”
Johnson has developed into the Giants’ second-leading pass catcher (33) and a dynamic red-zone weapon (five touchdowns) in his second NFL season.
Bellinger’s role (40 offensive snaps per game since Nabers’ torn ACL) is bigger than it has been since his rookie season in 2022.
“We’re really comfortable with how he explains things,” Bellinger said of Kelly, “and how he sees defenses and how we can run our offense.”
Kakfa chose Kelly over quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney and wide receivers coach Mike Groh — both of whom were, like him, original members of former head coach Brian Daboll’s staff in 2022.
“I think most of the change will probably occur behind the scenes in terms of how we put the plan together,” Kelly said. “[Players] probably will hear my voice in the big room a little bit more than they have … but it’s still the same vision.”
Kelly joked there will be a “little less sleep” as he balances coaching tight ends with developing the big-picture offense.
The Giants had a chance to maybe put away the Bears last week, but two runs inside the 2-yard line were stopped short, the offense settled for a field goal and a 10-point fourth-quarter lead later evaporated.
“As a unit, we need to be more consistent,” Kelly said. “Because there’s times where we’re tough to stop, and there’s other times where it’s like, ‘God dang.’ ”
As Kafka learns to manage head-coach duties like timeout usage, challenge flags and fourth-down decisions, there is slack for Kelly to pick up on Sundays.
“You’re always kind of thinking what you can do next to try and help put some points on the board,” Kelly said. “What looks good, what’s coming down the pike here in terms of the next series.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
