The 2-8 Giants are at the heart of plenty of speculation with respect to job security. Head coach Brian Daboll, general manager Joe Schoen and quarterback Daniel Jones have all been the subject of recent reporting on the topic of significant changes being made in the offseason. 
As things currently stand, each member of that trio appears to be safe, although plenty remains to be seen in the second half of the campaign. Given the team’s struggles throughout the season, however, it would come as no surprise if changes of some kind were made. On that point, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Don Martindale are among the staffers expected to be let go at the end of the year.
Both coordinators have been in place since 2022, the start of the Daboll-Schoen regime. Kafka, 36, joined New York after five seasons in Kansas City. That span included a four-year stretch as QB coach, and his role in Patrick Mahomes‘ success made him a highly talked-about member of the coaching ranks. Kafka’s unit put up middling overall numbers in terms of scoring and total offense last year, but success on the ground helped lead the Giants on an unexpected run to the divisional round.
That success earned Kafka signficant head coaching interest during the 2023 season, but things have not gone according to plan this year. Struggling with a plethora of injuries – including to Jones and, at times, running back Saquon Barkley, among many others – the Giants sit at the bottom of the NFL in both points (11.8) and yards (288) per game. Few signs pointing to a late-season improvement have been shown, so it will be interesting to see how Daboll (assuming he survives off the back of last year’s success) handles the side of the ball he has experience in.
Martindale, in contrast to Kafka, has a long track record at the pro level, including two different stints as a DC prior to his Giants appointment. The 60-year-old saw his 10-year tenure with the Ravens come to an end when Baltimore elected to move on following his poorest showing as a coordinator there. In each of the three seasons prior to his unit’s mediocre 2021 performance, Martindale had guided the Ravens to a top-three finish in scoring defense.
Like with the Giants’ offense, however, the team has taken a step back on Martindale’s side of the ball. New York currently sits 29th in points allowed per game (26.6), with the run and pass defense having regressed compared to last season. Martindale recently went public with his response to safety Xavier McKinney‘s criticism of the coaching staff and a perceived lack of communication with the team’s captains, a matter which appears to have since been resolved.
Pauline cites Giants sources who believe Kafka in particular is likely to be on the way out soon. It will be interesting to see how he handles the continued run of undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito under center with pressure appearing to build on his job security. Martindale’s performance, likewise, will be worth watching closely as the Giants evaluate their shortcomings in a lost season.
Not to say that those two haven’t earned it (especially Martindale, from whom I expected a lot more), but that team just lacks talent all around. Without a lot of investment, the G-men are not going to improve nearly as much as they need to after this move.
As for Kafka, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in Buffalo at some point if he is let go.
The Giants were fool’s gold last year, but the GM & HC believed in their hype that the team was setup for success. Now they’re paying for it.
Idk about Daboll, but Schoen has been on record a few times saying that his team was not as good as it’s record last year and that they were in a rebuild.
I don’t follow teams that close. But he was the GM the re-upped Dan. That’s on his resume!
You say this on like every Giants post. Schoen, Daboll, and like every Giants fan in existence already knows that last year was anomalous. This team has been trash for a decade. We’re in year two of the Giants rebuild under Schoen/Daboll.
Also, you act like the Jones deal is some massive, hamstringing obstacle to the rebuild. It’s not. Do you know how the contract works? They can walk away after next year with small cap hits in the last two years. The Giants knew they were gambling, so they front-loaded the guarantees to keep their options open. If you’re going to blast the Giants on every article about them, at least know what you’re talking about.
You would blow $40m this year on Dan? What am I missing? Exactly what had Danny done to deserve a 2nd high end contract? 3 years of tape to go by. Name it.
Yes, I a mock teams that make continually bad decisions only to try and play them off. Then seeing their fans base knowingly know they made a bad decision, but still back the team. I find that to be funny & I love to provoke fans on those choices.
Once Jones was hurt, someone decided that they were ok with Devito as the backup. So far, that looks like a bad decision.
Rolling with Devito is the team saying ‘we’re tanking’.
If they really believe in Jones, then they take the top 5 pick and trade back. They need help everywhere. If they admit to a bad decision last year and hope not to get fired next offseason, they draft a new QB.
How can you fire an offensive coordinator when you give him Tommy DeVito to work with?
They can get out from
jones after next season with a 22million cap hit. Not the worst: any QB will be developmental next year. I would let barkley walk find a team
He can win with his clock his running out. You aren’t getting anything of value for him in a trade especially after the end of this year.
That’s also a $22 million cap hit spread over two seasons. It’s not much in today’s game.
Mike Kafka is similar to Kliff Kingsbury in the way he has seemingly failed upward throughout his career. It always amazes me how guys like this keep getting jobs despite little to no success
I doubt it’s his fault. Look at the Giants offense the past.. 5 years. Not good at all. The only offense they had came from Barkley. They are most certainly going to draft a better QB if they get the first, second or third pick. But of course if Marvin Harrison Jr is there they might be tempted to see how Jones does with an actual WR who can play.
I understand that but the point still stands that Kafka is not good at his job. The Giants are also a near lock to draft a QB as long as they at least have the no. 2 pick in the draft. There’s enough evidence to show Jones isn’t the guy and giving him a stud WR won’t change much, especially if he’d still be playing behind that horrendous O-line
Eh, with Danny Boy, Marvin Jr will probably have a career closer to Jerry Jeudy than Justin Jefferson.
Please don’t fire Stink Martindale I like when they show him on the sideline. His head is often too big for his hat.
So all the blame 4puke season is on the coordinators … how bout the idiots that put them in place. GM n HC R winners its just stoopid coordinators not executing properly, thats the story ?
In retrospect, a lot of us might need to make apologies to Gettleman for bashing him so hard.