Mike Kafka on Why Charlie Bullen is Best Choice for Giants Interim Defensive Coordinator

Plus, how the defensive game planning will change given Bullen's inexperience as a coordinator.

Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will take over the defensive play calling duties for the Giants. | John Jones-Imagn Images

After having slept on the state of the team following its sixth straight loss, New York Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka, who not even 24 hours ago said he had faith in embattled defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, decided that a change had to be made after witnessing the defense fail to protect a 10+ point lead late in the game for the fifth time this season. 

“I just had an opportunity to, to watch the tape look back at a few weeks, watch a lot, watch a lot of the defense, watch a lot of what was kind of going on, the communication, and just felt like this was the right time to do it,” Kafka told reporters on Monday morning after confirming the move had been made. 

“When I got the job, I didn't wanna make a lot of rash decisions and jump to anything really quickly. I wanted some time to sit back, evaluate it, look it over, and figure out what the best thing to do was. I thought that today was the right time.”

The right time is clearly too late for the Giants, who were officially eliminated from postseason consideration and who are on a pace to finish with fewer wins than last year’s franchise-worst three-game campaign barring a turnaround. 

Kafka’s choice to serve as interim defensive coordinator is outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen, an 18-year coaching veteran (12 in the NFL) who has never been a defensive coordinator before, a curious pick over defensive backs coach Marquand Manuel and defensive line coach Andre Patterson, both of whom have NFL defensive coordinator experience.

“I have a lot of faith in Charlie and the pedigree that he brings coming into this defense,” Kafka said. 

“I think he's a smart coach. I think he's detailed, he is aggressive, and his room has had a lot of production, and I think he's ready for the task.” 

Kafka, who said he decided after meeting with general manager Joe Schoen to discuss his thought process, said that the defensive game planning will continue to be a collaborative effort, perhaps even more so than in the past, though at the end of the day, it will be Bullen making the calls on the sideline.

“I think one of the strengths our defensive staff has is a lot of really smart coaches in that room that can put together a great plan for him and support him,” Kafka said, adding that he would also be a part of that process. 

“So it's all hands on deck–everyone's gonna be a part of it. The players are included in this as well. And so we all gotta take ownership of our individual jobs and then our collective jobs as a unit.” 

Why make the move now?

Kafka, who pointed to the extra time the Giants have before their next game a week from Monday at New England as being the right time for the change rather than the bye week, admitted that there’s not a whole lot in terms of major changes that can be made on the defense, but that he trusts Bullen to find some fixes.

“We're gonna give Charlie the reins to go and make the corrections that he sees fit for the defense, whether it's personnel, whether it's scheme, whether it's communication calls,” Kafka said.

“And so he's going to work hand in hand with the whole defensive unit to make sure that it's his vision on how he sees it.” 

Kafka added that despite the defense’s struggles, there are enough positives to build on over these last five games.

“I saw a group of guys, a group of men step up and battle and take on a really good team toe-to-toe. Okay. So there's a lot, there's a lot of good things that came out of that game,” he said.

“I think there are some areas where we continue to improve. The coaches and the players–no one's panicking. No one's going down the dumps; our spirits are high, our spirits are confident, and now it's about putting together a great plan, then going and executing it.” 

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.