The Arizona Cardinals are reportedly down to two finalists for their next head coach. One received a glowing review from Andy Reid.
Per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, Reid endorsed New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka when speaking to Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill.
“He’s a very intelligent, great human being,” Reid said of Kafka. “The quarterback will love him. He’ll challenge him to be better than he even is now. But he’ll do a great job.”
Kafka spent five seasons on Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs staff before joining the Giants in 2022. He was a quarterbacks coach from 2018 through 2021 and also a passing game coordinator in his final two years.
Patrick Mahomes threw 151 touchdowns during those four seasons and led the Chiefs to four consecutive AFC Championship Games. Kafka parlayed that success into an elevated job title on Brian Daboll’s staff.
In Kafka’s first season with an organization that hadn’t won more than six games since 2016, the Giants went 9-7-1 and won their first-round playoff matchup at Minnesota.
New York declined Daniel Jones’ fifth-year option before the 2022 season. NFL executives now believe the free-agent quarterback will make $35-37 million annually following a career year.
If the Cardinals listen to Reid, the Cardinals may believe Kafka can unlock another gear out of Kyler Murray. The former No. 1 pick stumbled this season, following a playoff bid with a career-low 6.1 yards per pass attempt and 87.2 quarterback rating before tearing his ACL in December.
Arizona has reportedly narrowed its coaching search to Kafka and Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo after another top candidate, Brian Flores, became the Vikings’ new defensive coordinator.