The New York Giants are entering the 2024 season with the same quarterback and a different offensive playcaller.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll confirmed to reporters Tuesday that he will be taking over offensive playcalling duties from offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, who called players in Daboll’s first two seasons with New York.
Neither of those seasons were notably successful. There was a notable improvement in Daboll’s first season, with the Giants going from 31st in the NFL in points scored per game to 15th, but they backslid all the way to 30th last year while starting quarterback Daniel Jones struggled significantly. ESPN reports that Daboll pulled playcalling duties from Kafka multiple times that season.
Notably, Kafka was given the additional role of assistant head coach this offseason.
Daboll was hesitant to explain the situation, quickly changing the subject to the Giants’ Week 1 game against the Minnesota Vikings:
“I’d say, look, we work well together offensively. Getting ready to play Week 1, we’ve talked enough about that, doing everything we do to get ready.”
He was similarly reticent when asked about the additional responsibility of calling plays for Jones:
“I’m the head coach, so I’m responsible for everything, whether it’s the defense, the special teams, the offense. … Almost everybody in the league does it as an offensive head coach.”
The move is understandable given that Daboll got the Giants job in the first place by calling offensive plays. He was the man behind the playsheet while the Buffalo Bills became one of the most productive offenses in the league, going from 30th in points scored in his first season to third before taking the Giants job.
That’s just one change for the Giants on offense. The team’s personnel changed significantly around Jones over the offseason, most notably with the exit of Saquon Barkley in free agency for the division rival Philadelphia Eagles and the drafting of LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers with the fifth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
There was also a shuffle along with the offensive line with the additions of projected starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, right guard Greg Van Roten and left guard Jon Runyan.
How will it all look? Fans will find out on Sunday, when the Giants kick off against the Vikings at 1 p.m. ET.
