The Giants said Wednesday that offensive coordinator Mike Kafka is now an “assistant head coach,” too.
Secondary coach Jerome Henderson (defensive passing game coordinator) and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney (offensive passing game coordinator) had new titles added to their resumes, as well.
The team called the three new titles “promotions,” which implies pay increases, as the Giants try to smooth over the optics of having eight coaches leave Brian Daboll’s staff or get fired in the past month.
Tight ends coach Andy Bischoff became the latest to depart this week for a lateral move with the Los Angeles Chargers as Jim Harbaugh’s new tight ends coach/run game coordinator.
Kafka is being “promoted” after the Giants offense averaged 15.6 points per game last season, which ranked 30th in the NFL. He had offensive meetings and play-calling both stripped from him by Daboll during the year.
The Giants then blocked Kafka’s interview for the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator vacancy to prevent the optics of having all three coordinator positions turnover, given defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s resignation and special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey’s firing.
So now they have sweetened the pot in return, even though there is a good chance Kafka will have play-calling taken away from him permanently in 2024.
GM Joe Schoen and Daboll hired two new assistants on Wednesday, as well: outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen and defensive assistant Zak Kuhr.
Bullen and Schoen both worked for the Dolphins from 2012-16. Bullen coached with the Arizona Cardinals from 2019-22, then worked as the University of Illinois’ outside linebackers coach and pass rush coordinator in college last season.
Kuhr just spent his first four NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans, including the last three as an inside linebackers assistant. He is the third former Mike Vrabel Titans assistant to join the Giants’ coaching staff this week.
Former Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen now has the same title with the Giants. And former Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly is Daboll’s new tight ends coach.
