3 Big Decisions Giants Interim Head Coach Mike Kafka Needs to Make

Mike Kafka is about to undergo a seven-game audition to show that he's indeed worthy of being an NFL head coach.

Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

No one could blame New York Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka if his head is spinning.

Kafka, who, along with the rest of the team’s staff, was informed on Monday morning of ownership’s decision to dismiss Brian Daboll as the team’s head coach, now gets a seven-game audition to convince the league, including his current bosses, that he’s worthy of being an NFL head coach.

Kafka likely hasn’t had a lot of time to sit down and catch his breath regarding changes he plans to enact as the interim head coach, and indeed, there’s not a lot in terms of major changes that he can make at this point anyway. 

But there are a few things that he could implement right away, should he so desire… 

Name Jameis Winston as QB2

Oct 19, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) huddles up before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Russell Wilson has been nothing but the consummate professional since joining the Giants, and he’s remained as such since being demoted as the starting quarterback. 

Considering how the offense changed when they made the switch to Jaxson Dart, Wilson suddenly looks like a poor fit to execute what the Giants do on offense, whereas Jameis Winston’s skill set appears to be a better fit.

That said, the last thing the Giants need to do if Dart isn’t cleared is to revert to the old offense they ran under Wilson. 

If they want to maintain consistency, it’s best to put a quarterback in there with similar skill sets, and that quarterback is WinstonWinston, who will eventually be QB2 behind Dart anyway. 

No sense in putting off the inevitable, right? 

Decide on Who Handles the Play Calling 

The Giants haven’t said if Kafka will retain the play-calling duties in addition to now being in charge of gameday decisions and such that he previously wasn’t involved with.

But naming a play caller, whether it be himself or quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney, is probably one of, if not the first, things he needs to settle.

Kafka, as Giants fans know, has been calling the plays this year, making him really the only voice in quarterback Jaxson Dart’s radio helmet before each play.

For the sake of consistency, Kafka might want to continue doing that, though again, for a rookie head coach, being wrapped up in one side of the ball while also trying to manage defense and special teams could be a bit much.

For what it’s worth, it’s unknown at this point if Dart, who suffered a concussion on Sunday in the loss against the Bears, is going to be available for Sunday’s game against the Packers. 

If he’s not, perhaps KafkaKafka experiments with having Tierney call the plays, which would allow Kafka to get his feet wet in fully managing the sideline, including overriding any defensive decisions he disagrees with. 

Then again, maybe Kafka decides that consistency is best for the young quarterback, for whenever he returns to the starting lineup.

Protect Dart from Himself

Nov 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (35) sacks New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) during the first half at Soldier Field. | David Banks-Imagn Images

It’s wild to think about it, but since becoming the starting quarterback in Week 4, Dart has shot up to lead the league in designed runs. That’s all well and good, given that it’s a strength of his, but the problem that ensued was two-fold.

It starts with an over-reliance on having the youngster execute so many designed runs (22 per PFF). 

That in itself wouldn’t be a problem except Dart has shown he’s not afraid to take a hit if it means picking up that extra yard or two. Therein lies the problem: Dart needs to be protected from himself, which Daboll didn’t really do an ideal job of.

Can Kafka accomplish that and keep Dart from making what seems like weekly in-game trips to the blue medical tent? Let’s hope that he can stress upon Dart the importance of playing smart and protecting himself when he leaves the safety of the pocket for the open field.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.