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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — After a disappointing 6-11 season that saw them struggle badly offensively and get off to a slow start defensively, the New York Giants expect to bring back coordinators Mike Kafka and Wink Martindale, according to coach Brian Daboll.
The team fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey on Monday after six seasons with the team.
Kafka guided the 29th-ranked offense that finished 30th in points per game (15.6). Martindale lead a Giants defense that ranked 27th, but it was the team’s best unit and finished tied for the NFL lead with 31 takeaways.
“My expectation is that Wink and Kafka will both be back. … There are still conversations to be had. We’ve only been here for a short time,” Daboll said on Monday morning, just hours after the campaign ended with a 27-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles to snap a three-game skid.
Having his coordinators return is Daboll’s intention. But he had yet to speak directly with Kafka and Martindale about their desires. They are still under contract for another season.
It was reported several weeks back that the relationship between Daboll and Martindale was in a “bad place.”
It did not dramatically improve in recent weeks, sources told ESPN.
“It’s my expectation that they’re going to come back. I think they’re good coaches. So it would be good to have some continuity and be back,” Daboll said. “I know Wink talks about this as a destination place and things like that. It’s good. I appreciate how hard they work, the commitment to the team. So that is my plan.”
It did not include having McGaughey or offensive line coach Bobby Johnson return. They were let go on Monday morning.
The Giants under McGaughey ranked 22nd in special teams efficiency this season. They struggled early, particularly without a specialized punt returner, and improved as the season progressed.
McGaughey lasted six years total in his second stint with the Giants, which spanned three coaching regimes, with the last two under Daboll.
The offensive line remained a weak point under this current regime with Johnson. Several young offensive linemen such as Evan Neal (seventh overall pick in 2022), John Michael Schmitz Jr., Joshua Ezeudu and Marcus McKethan didn’t play or develop as expected. Several players also talked about how they were not overly emphatic about the technique that Johnson stressed.
The Giants allowed a league-high 85 sacks this season. No other team allowed more than 65.
“Moved on from Bobby Johnson and Thomas McGaughey,” Daboll said. “Want to thank those guys for what they’ve done the last two years. This is the hard part of the job. Have a lot of respect for them. Just felt we’re going to move in a different direction.”
While the coaching staff still remains in flux, the top of the quarterback depth chart appears more certain. The Giants reiterated their public confidence in Daniel Jones, who tore the ACL in his right knee back in November.
General manager Joe Schoen emphatically said he felt confident building the team around Jones despite his injury history. Jones has two neck injuries in the past three years and now the torn ACL.
“Yes. I mean, it’s football and guys get hurt,” Schoen said. “You can’t always predict it. … Again, hopefully he’ll be back for Week 1. We don’t have a crystal ball here. We’ll continue to build the team the way we see best.”
Whether they draft a quarterback with the No. 6 overall pick or in the first round will still be one of the main topics surrounding the team this offseason. If it happens, the competition is not something Jones would shy away from.
“I think I’d just continue to focus on myself to do and everything I needed to do to play the best I could,” Jones said.
