DECEMBER 22, 2025 MIKE KAFKA PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Interim Head Coach Mike Kafka addressed the media on Monday (VIDEO):
Q: When you went back to look at the tape, just kind of what stood out about what Minnesota did exactly to kind of confuse you guys and confuse (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart) a little bit and make the passing game struggle as it did?
KAFKA: I thought to start the game, I thought our running game really took off and was a really big asset for us in terms of just having control of the down and distances. I think when you look at it, the passes and just some of those unfavorable situations where it’s second and long where we have a couple like cover zero answers, whether it’s an alert or a check to, they were able to kind of hit us on a couple, whether it was cover zero or some exotic. So just staying out of those situations in general is going to be important for us moving forward. But we were able to look at that and at least communicate it with it across the group. And that’s something that we can continue to get better at and get cleaned up for us.
Q: Also, have you seen anything in these three games since Jaxson’s been back, have you seen any commonalities to where the offense maybe hasn’t been able to kind of get on track the way it’s been? Is it a matter of just these defenses with, you know, (New England Patriots head coach Mike) Vrabel and (Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian) Flores? Are there any commonalities you’re seeing just in these three games, you think?
KAFKA: Not really. I think a lot of it is self-inflicted stuff. And again, we’re all in this thing together, whether it’s coaches, the players. I feel like it’s some of us just as a group not executing at the level that we’re expecting to execute at and the standard that we have in the offensive room is sky high. So we’ve just got to continue to clean those things up and get better.
Q: You had a lot of guys leave the game yesterday with injuries. Do you have anything at all on guys like (cornerback) Cor’Dale (Flott) and guys like (center John Michael Schmitz Jr.) JMS at this point?
KAFKA: Yeah. So we’re still waiting for some of the imaging and stuff to come back from the docs. But I’d say the majority of those guys are going to be day-to-day. I wouldn’t rule anybody out today. But we’re still waiting on some imaging and some testing.
Q: There is a narrative out there that Jaxson is regressing or not playing as well now than he was earlier in the year. How do you see that in terms of his development?
KAFKA: I don’t see it that way. I think every game is going to be different. How we play each game is going to be different. How we think what’s going to help us win the game is going to be different each week. And I think the last couple weeks we ran the ball almost 30 times. So, when you run the ball 30 times, that’s going to limit some opportunities for the pass game. And there’s some games where we’re going to have to use the pass game a little bit more. So, I think there’s a way to win every game. Early in the week you build a game plan around how you think you’re going to win the game. And then you have the complements and things built off of that. And then in-game you’ve got to go and adjust and find those solutions in-game based on the stuff that you have and the stuff that you put in and the system you are working within. So, I don’t see that as a regression for Jaxson. Sure, maybe the numbers aren’t what they had been in the past. But I think he’s playing well. He’s playing at a high level. There’s certainly things that he can continue to improve on. And we’ve talked through those as a group too. But when I look back at it, this is an 11-man operation on offense. So, it’s not about one person’s production. It’s about the whole group and it’s about the whole team. So, whatever we’ve got to do to win the game, that’s what we’re trying to do. And so, yeah, I mean, at some point things like numbers and all that, I’m not as concerned about the numbers to be honest with you, we’re looking to find a way to win a game. And Jaxson’s on board with that. He understands that. So that’s kind of where we’re at.
Q: Does what you said about day-to-day and imaging and all apply to (tackle) Andrew Thomas too?
KAFKA: Yeah, he’d be in that group.
Q: Obviously you’ve been in this spot before where these late season games kind of take on different meaning for the fans than people in the building. This game’s going to get a lot of attention this week because of the NFL draft and the number one pick. Do you address that with the guys to block that out? Is there any form of rallying cry in that? Everybody’s treating the loser of this game as the winner except the people in the building. Is there any way to use that to your advantage?
KAFKA: No, really the only messaging today was just focusing on today and the corrections from yesterday’s game. How we can stay consistent, how we can be more detailed. Then really the main message was, let’s not leave the building today without getting some of those things corrected so that we can move forward, turn the page, and put together our best game plan and effort versus the Raiders.
Q: Just curious from a game plan perspective, obviously it was very run heavy on early downs. Why not mix in more play action if you’re going to establish that with the run?
KAFKA: I think there was a time and a place for those and those calculated shots. I just felt like in the flow of the game the runs were so efficient and effective that, why kind of stop with them? So, I felt like we were getting really good production on first down, which was really, to me, the biggest part of the game. As we talked about it and I even mentioned it in a few of my press conferences earlier was to get back on track off those second and longs, staying out of those situations so we can stay positive on first down and keep us in the favorable second downs and favorable third downs, and that would give us an opportunity to continue to be successful. I think the run actions kind of came to us a little bit later, but we used a couple of them. I think one of them, we ended up getting sacked on it. But, we want to mix those in, no question, and we’ll continue to do that and marry those things up. But the way that that kind of package ended up evolving for the game, quite frankly, I didn’t really see myself using it as much as we really did because of the early success it had. I had a few more different personnel groups in mind to jump into, but it was so successful early, we kind of hung with it and had some good complements built off of it. So that’s really kind of where my mind went in the flow of the game.
Q: What went into putting (outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeaux) on IR? It seemed like he was working to get back, so I’m just curious.
KAFKA: Yeah, he was working really hard, and I know he wanted to get back for the group. Just medically and just talking with him he really wasn’t there yet to be back for the last couple games, so it just didn’t make sense to put him at risk for potentially a longer-term injury and kind of redoing it. So, he battled. Everyone was working hard, and he was working hard to get back, but it’ll just be after the season.
Q: Jaxson, when he came in, I believe he had done a lot of his work from the shotgun, and obviously in the NFL you have to be able to work from the gun. You also have to work under center. Can you just talk a little bit about the challenges of working with a quarterback who maybe doesn’t have as much experience working under center and what you go through with him?
KAFKA: The only thing is I wouldn’t say it’s a challenge. I think it’s probably a little bit different for him, but he enjoys it. He likes it. He likes being under center. That was one of the things we talked through over the bye week was that we were building in some tendencies. Hey, we’re in the gun, it’s probably a pass. We’re under center, it’s probably a run. Okay, so how do you mix and match being under center and still being able to have your run action game, your naked game out of that, or in the pistol, those type of things. So, there’s ways to kind of supplement it. And, yeah, we know Jaxson spent the majority of his time in gun, but I think it does give you an advantage for being able to go under center or be in the pistol. I know the run lanes and the run angles are a little bit different than you are in gun when you’re off set. So, there’s a few things that in our mind kind of go into it, but for Jaxson and his development, he feels comfortable underneath. He likes it. He likes the play action. He likes how it influences the second level and third level linebackers. So that gives us an advantage, and he’s continuing to grow with it.
Q: And what have you seen from him working under center? You mentioned the comfort level, obviously. Where can he still grow in that regard?
KAFKA: No question. I think the run action fakes, just getting his head and eyes around quick, finding that flat defender, the hook and curl defender. I think just the fundamentals of it are continuing to grow, and you’re seeing that the more comfortable he gets with being under center and using those fakes. Yeah, you turn your back to the defense, but now the defense has to respect the run. Again, we’re running the ball at a higher tick than normal. That’s going to make those guys step up, and now you can use those run actions, and so I think it’s just mixing and matching those and being really smart in how we shape the game plan and how we can complement each other in both the run and the pass.
Q: You obviously had a relationship with Jaxson as an offensive coordinator. Brian Daboll had a relationship with him as a head coach and a quarterback guy also. When you took over as the interim head coach, did you see the need to change your relationship in any way? I mean, obviously you had a relationship before, but to change it, more intense, more distant, more head coachy, anything like that?
KAFKA: No. That’s one thing I’m most proud of is keeping our consistency with our meeting times. You know, sometimes I spend the majority of the time in the offensive room in general while (offensive coordinator) Tim’s (Kelly) kind of going through the installations and I’m still standing up there and installing stuff. But, I do have to make sure I dedicate some time to the other phases as well. That’s just me and the just time management part of it, but I’m always in the quarterbacks room and talking with those guys and continuing with our routine in terms of meeting with him, going over the game plan, going over the answers. Post-practice, during practice, making sure I get some of those adjustments and stuff done. So, I’d say, sure, it’s changed a little bit just based on the nature of the role right now, but really like wide scale, it hasn’t changed that much.
Q: As far as the last two games for Jaxson, there have been rookies who have been asked to take a seat sometimes. I’m not saying I’m advocating this, but I’m saying it has happened in the past, okay, let’s let the rookie maybe sit these out. I don’t imagine you have thought of that in any way, shape, or form. You can tell me if you have. And would there be anything to sitting Jaxson these games and maybe taking a step back, or do you think full throttle ahead, these two games are going to be great for him?
KAFKA: Yeah, I’d go with the latter of that. We’re full throttle ahead. Jaxson’s running the ship. No question about that.
Q: You mentioned yesterday when you were asked about some defensive things, and you said, well, I was doing this, I was doing that. Is it part of the head coach that you’re learning these things, especially in game? You’re the play caller, and you can’t oversee everything all the time, and is that a great challenge?
KAKFA: It’s a great challenge, and you’re absolutely right, and you have to have great trust in the coaches and the coordinators on the other phases to make sure that they’re dialed in and make sure they don’t need me. Like, that’s really the most important thing is I just want to make sure I’m an asset to them. If they have a question or if they’re making sure we’re all on the same wavelength in terms of how I see the game going as I’m managing the game, even though I’m still talking to the offense, I’ve still kind of got one ear to the defense, their communication, and then hitting them between drives as well. So there’s certainly some communication that I’ve got to juggle, but it’s part of the role, and it’s fun. It’s been great. The guys have been awesome in responding to it, and the communication, the dialogue that we’ve had has been excellent. So, hats off to the guys upstairs for, number one, keeping me on track with the game management part of it, and then just the communication and dialogue with the coaches, offensively, defensively, special teams. It’s been really, really clear and really clean.
Q: You guys have been pretty fortunate just to have the O-line consistency all season. How did you see Jaxson handle yesterday with three of his starters out? And I guess what do you do differently, or do you do anything differently for a rookie QB in that situation, especially when it’s someone like your left tackle who’s such a stalwart?
KAFLA: Yeah, we’ve had this situation come up in the past for us. I think it’s just we have a lot of trust in the guys that are stepping in. So, they have a great deal of responsibility in terms of understanding the game plan and going out there and execution. But our level of trust in the players that we put out there is sky high. So, we really didn’t feel like we needed to skip a beat in terms of how we played the game or at least our intent for how we wanted to start the game and get into the game. And obviously you want to adjust based on how things are going or maybe a certain player is doing really well or struggling a little bit. How can we help? But it didn’t feel like that throughout the game. And so I just think the way the game kind of went and it got right down to it, three minutes and 20 seconds left with two timeouts at the minus 40, you’re 25 yards from a game-tying field goal, 60 yards from a game winner with the ball in Jaxson Dart’s hands. I’ll take that any day of the week.
THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The Giants return to practice on Wednesday (1:00-3:00PM). Interim Head Coach Mike Kafka and select players will also address the media.