Brian Daboll Discusses Change in NY Giants Gameday Operations

There are noticeable changes in how New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll intends to run the team this year, as well asd some are less apparent.

One of many changes that was noticeable was to the team’s gameday operations, as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, who has been calling the offensive plays since the spring and appears to be Daboll’s choice to continue doing so into the season, moved downstairs to the sideline from the press box.

“It’s something we talked about in the offseason,” Daboll said on Monday. “I think it went well; I think there was good communication. We’ll see what we do this week. That’s what these preseason games are for. Operationally-wise, I was pleased with how things went.”

It’s unclear if Kafka, who, when he was first named the playcaller in 2022, opted to be upstairs in the pressbox because he liked being able to have a bird’s-eye view of what was going on down on the field, was told by Daboll to move downstairs, or if it was a mutual decision.

But there are certainly benefits for Kafka as the play caller being on the sideline.

“There are different things,” Daboll said when discussing the pros and cons of being on the sideline versus upstairs. “You’re less emotional when you’re upstairs, in a more calm environment, you can maybe see part of the field a little bit better. 

“Downstairs, there are better conversations a lot of the time, easier conversations when you’re right there around the quarterbacks, able to communicate with the coaches, so this is something that we wanted to try for this game.”

The conversation aspect could be a driving force behind the change, especially with having a rookie quarterback on the sideline in Jaxson Dart. 

Having Kafka there could afford Dart the opportunity to ask Kafka questions while the defense is on the field about the play calling/thought process behind what transpired, which would further assist with Dart’s development.

Kafka, meanwhile, will have assistants who will be in the press box to serve as his “eyes in the sky.”

But Daboll sounded as though he was leaning toward keeping the current arrangement as is.

“I thought it went well,” he said. “I’ll talk to Mike about the plans going forward for the next game and then the third game, and then ultimately, we’ll make the decision that we feel best about for the opener.”

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