December 2, 2025 • 9 mins
Interim head coach Mike Kafka speaks to the media Monday after the Giants' loss to the Patriots.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
So I think it was this Gunner got a concussion
and then Tracy with a hip for injury.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Wise on the hit with Jackson, just I know talked
about it, but what can you do to impress upon him,
you know, the value of his own health.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Listen, Jackson's an aggressive football player. You know, he's on
the sideline trying to get himself out of bounce, takes
a hit, he bounced up. He's a tough kid. Do
you like the decision to compete for that extra yard
or two or whatever, or do you prefer to see
him step out of bounds? Yeah, I mean, obviously don't
want him take any hits that are unnecessary, but he
was working his way out of bounce.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Might be sorry you go, Jordan, I don't think he
did overall him.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
So yeah, Jackson did did a nice job. He slid
a couple of times for us, you know, did everything
we asked him to do.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Mike, why was Abdulah not out there the first couple
of series?
Speaker 1 (00:52):
That was a coach's decision, my decision. Why'd you make
that decision? Just based on how we how we went
during the week, Just that was that was a decision.
I want to make another disciplinary reason. No, it was
just my decision to not to not play him.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
There was there was a report that that he was
missed part of or all of a team event. Is
that true.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
No, it was just strictly my decision.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
How concerning he isn't now the second time in three
weeks he's had to be benched in this way.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah, no, it's it's unfortunate, but you know those are
that's the way we kind of work with it this week.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I mean, Mike, I imagine that when you benched on the
first time, you hope that the message would get through.
So the fact that this now two weeks later, it's
it's the same exact thing again, I mean, or it's
something similar again.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
I mean what I'll just say we have great communication
and he's one of my favorite players on the team,
and that was one thing that you know, we talked
about and it was my decision to not play this.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Did it happen again?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
That was again, this is one of the things that
I decided to do.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
What do you mean that that's one of the things
you talked about.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Well, well, I talked just like I talked with a duel.
I talk with all our players and you know, I
talked with that duel about this week and decided to
not play them for the first two series.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Being Tim's still a problem like that have been.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
A constant problem with It's just this was just strictly
my decision to not play them this week. And he listened.
When he came back in the game, you saw the
kind of impact he had and the player that this
guy is, and I this is a this is a
kid that I again I back. I support this kill
highly and for any young player that we have on
(02:26):
the roster, whether it's a dual or any rookie or
young player, we're gonna make sure we take them under
our wing and continue to develop these guys because they're
impoort to us. They're important to me, and the duels
no different, just like Jackson, just like you know, young
players like Tracy and and da all these guys are
that are stepping up in big time, major roles. You know,
these are the guys that were continuing to develop, continuing
(02:49):
to grow, continue to be pros. And you know, the
standards that we have in our program are super our
sky high and everyone's gonna upheld to them. But that
was my decision my decision. Only anything else else outside
of it, it's going to be kept in house.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Okay, Mike, But all of the players that you just named,
all the players you're talking to, they're not committing infractions
that are leading to them being benched. And you talk
about how special you know he is and how much
of a difference he can make. What he's doing is
taking him off of a field where he didn't play
for two series, where you guys probably couldn't need.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, and Connor, I just would say this like, that
was my decision to do that. And again it's those
those are tough decisions to make, but that was my decision.
And again, the kid nothing to do nothing with him.
Everything that we did that we did was my decision.
And obviously I'm sure he's wasn't happy about it, which
I understand, but I thought that was the best thing
(03:38):
for the team, and it was my decision to move
forward with it. And and that's where we're at is
do you regret the decision? I don't regret the decision.
I don't. Is it tough to value Jackson and twelve
Jackson in tough situations like this? Sing? Is it hard
to evaluate Jackson's performance and develop open in tough situations. Well,
(04:02):
I haven't you know, you watch the game. I have
a feel for kind of what happened. I'll go back
and look at the tape and evaluate it fully. But
it's never just one person. We're a team. It's all
three phases, all eleven guys on the field. We all
got to do it together, and we all got to
be better.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Mike, your first two games were competitive games, you know,
close games down to the wire.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
This one was not.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
What do you think of the physicality the physicality of
your team compared to there, It seems like they were
more ready.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
For the fight. I thought our guys competed. I thought
our guys competed. There are some plays that we didn't
make that we got to continue to look at and evaluate,
whether from the coaching staff or from the player side
of it, like where we can get better at. And
you know, the the good thing is we have a
buy coming up that we can go and evaluate all
that stuff and really have a great plan coming back
after the buye. But yeah, today wasn't wasn't our best effort.
(04:50):
It wasn't our best wasn't our best game? Here in
a minute, so we'll go back and look at it
and get it cleaned up.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Mike, the breakdowns on special teams from the start of
the game, miss tap on a long return and then
obviously the the return for a touchdown, and then I
don't know what happened with Koo. His foot just got stuck.
I mean, overall, you guys have been solid in special
teams in certain areas.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
What happened tonight, it wasn't. It just wasn't a great
team effort. All three phases. We got to this. Everyone's
got to step up, everyone's got to clean up there.
They're part of the game. But it's never just one phase,
never just one player, So we all got to do
better job.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Before you guys, what did Coup say happen on the
field goal?
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Well, I saw it live. I saw it live. Look
at the ball just kind of slipped a little bit,
so he wouldn't sure if it was gonna gets set.
You know, Jamie tried to reset it, and then by
that time it was kind of you know, he was
already kind of out of his out of his groove
on it, so you know, it was just just a
you know, tough, tough bounce, right there.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Mike, when you when you guys got the ball back
down two possessions, there was a little lack of tempo.
I mean that huddling running the ball. Was there any
consideration given there to to try to speed it up
to get down the feel.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
A little corker? Yeah, No, kind of we went. We
went tempo on it, do you know. I was just
trying to down two scores. We felt like we were
just right in the game, wanting to get the drive going.
I think I had an eye on the time on
where where we would get to to where we really
need to kind of go super fast. But I really
felt like if we can just put together a drive
and go ahead and get points, that would set us
up to be in the game a little bit more. So.
(06:23):
You're right, you're kind of teetering on that on that
line in terms of like going super super fast and
just kind of trying to stay within the game and
not get too far away from it. But that's kind
of where my mind was at as I was calling the.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Fourth and.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
You give a very aggressive the fourth and one in
your fortilan the first that why not go for that? Yeah,
That's that's kind of where that spot was at do
I want to just do I want to punt it back,
kind of back them up, get a quick three now,
and then give us a little bit of field position.
It was a toss up for me. I just I
just didn't want to. I wanted to kind of play
some field position game right there and give our defense
(06:58):
an opportunities. So, you know, that's one that I'll go
back and look at if I if that's one where
I could rip off another fourth down opportunity, right But
you know, in the heat, in the heat of the game,
that's where I kind of felt.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Is that kind of a good The way Drake may
have played against you guys.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Well, he was obviously very productive, you know, scrambling, throwing
the football. You know, he did a nice job with
some of the explosive things. So you know, we got
to button that stuff up in the back end, tie
it in with the front end, and get everything a
little bit cleaner.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Understanding that play that fourth and one, he said, you
have to go back and look over it. But just
knowing how much you want to be aggressive, is that
something made you will look at it and say, what
plausive that you know they sware that field or not
without a play, maybe you'd want back just because it
went against you wanted to be more aggressive.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yeah, we were. We were like in go for fourth downs.
I mean, you saw all the times we ran it
on third down. Those are pretty much all go for us.
So you know, we want to be aggressive, want to
stay aggressive, and when the opportunity comes up, we'll try
and be aggressive. I just at that time, it just
didn't feel like that was the spot for it. Depending
you know, we get it great. If we don't, now
you're basically, you know, making a three score game. You
(08:02):
know where it's now it's a little bit more difficult.
So just trying to play field position and just and
stay with it.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Of the operation with that Charlie pulling sitting, was your
sense of the operation with Charlie call in the defense?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
I thought the operation was cleaned. I thought the operation
was clean on the headsets bouncing back and forth in
the headset, so I can hear a little bit of it.
But you know, he was calling, he was poised. You know,
we just all got to do a better job. Do
you think shambowin was the wrong decision after watching the
defense today? I doubt, I doubt, you know, I stand
by Charlie. He'll do a great he'll continue to get better.
I stand by our defensive side of the sad by
(08:36):
all our coaches. We had great coaching staff here and
you know these guys. Everyone will step up. The coaching staff,
the players, the surrounding support staff will all step up
for us. Right, And that's what we've got to That's
what we got to think about that what'll be our goal?
He was the right.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Was there any thought on that last series, you know,
talking about protecting Jackson He took some hits on the
last one of not putting him out there again.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
So like taking him out of the game. No, I was.
I wasn't in front of my mine at all.
So I think it was this Gunner got a concussion
and then Tracy with a hip for injury.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Wise on the hit with Jackson, just I know talked
about it, but what can you do to impress upon him,
you know, the value of his own health.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Listen, Jackson's an aggressive football player. You know, he's on
the sideline trying to get himself out of bounce, takes
a hit, he bounced up. He's a tough kid. Do
you like the decision to compete for that extra yard
or two or whatever, or do you prefer to see
him step out of bounds? Yeah, I mean, obviously don't
want him take any hits that are unnecessary, but he
was working his way out of bounce.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Might be sorry you go, Jordan, I don't think he
did overall him.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
So yeah, Jackson did did a nice job. He slid
a couple of times for us, you know, did everything
we asked him to do.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Mike, why was Abdulah not out there the first couple
of series?
Speaker 1 (00:52):
That was a coach's decision, my decision. Why'd you make
that decision? Just based on how we how we went
during the week, Just that was that was a decision.
I want to make another disciplinary reason. No, it was
just my decision to not to not play him.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
There was there was a report that that he was
missed part of or all of a team event. Is
that true.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
No, it was just strictly my decision.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
How concerning he isn't now the second time in three
weeks he's had to be benched in this way.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah, no, it's it's unfortunate, but you know those are
that's the way we kind of work with it this week.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I mean, Mike, I imagine that when you benched on the
first time, you hope that the message would get through.
So the fact that this now two weeks later, it's
it's the same exact thing again, I mean, or it's
something similar again.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
I mean what I'll just say we have great communication
and he's one of my favorite players on the team,
and that was one thing that you know, we talked
about and it was my decision to not play this.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Did it happen again?
Speaker 1 (01:48):
That was again, this is one of the things that
I decided to do.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
What do you mean that that's one of the things
you talked about.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Well, well, I talked just like I talked with a duel.
I talk with all our players and you know, I
talked with that duel about this week and decided to
not play them for the first two series.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Being Tim's still a problem like that have been.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
A constant problem with It's just this was just strictly
my decision to not play them this week. And he listened.
When he came back in the game, you saw the
kind of impact he had and the player that this
guy is, and I this is a this is a
kid that I again I back. I support this kill
highly and for any young player that we have on
(02:26):
the roster, whether it's a dual or any rookie or
young player, we're gonna make sure we take them under
our wing and continue to develop these guys because they're
impoort to us. They're important to me, and the duels
no different, just like Jackson, just like you know, young
players like Tracy and and da all these guys are
that are stepping up in big time, major roles. You know,
these are the guys that were continuing to develop, continuing
(02:49):
to grow, continue to be pros. And you know, the
standards that we have in our program are super our
sky high and everyone's gonna upheld to them. But that
was my decision my decision. Only anything else else outside
of it, it's going to be kept in house.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Okay, Mike, But all of the players that you just named,
all the players you're talking to, they're not committing infractions
that are leading to them being benched. And you talk
about how special you know he is and how much
of a difference he can make. What he's doing is
taking him off of a field where he didn't play
for two series, where you guys probably couldn't need.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Yeah, and Connor, I just would say this like, that
was my decision to do that. And again it's those
those are tough decisions to make, but that was my decision.
And again, the kid nothing to do nothing with him.
Everything that we did that we did was my decision.
And obviously I'm sure he's wasn't happy about it, which
I understand, but I thought that was the best thing
(03:38):
for the team, and it was my decision to move
forward with it. And and that's where we're at is
do you regret the decision? I don't regret the decision.
I don't. Is it tough to value Jackson and twelve
Jackson in tough situations like this? Sing? Is it hard
to evaluate Jackson's performance and develop open in tough situations. Well,
(04:02):
I haven't you know, you watch the game. I have
a feel for kind of what happened. I'll go back
and look at the tape and evaluate it fully. But
it's never just one person. We're a team. It's all
three phases, all eleven guys on the field. We all
got to do it together, and we all got to
be better.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Mike, your first two games were competitive games, you know,
close games down to the wire.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
This one was not.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
What do you think of the physicality the physicality of
your team compared to there, It seems like they were
more ready.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
For the fight. I thought our guys competed. I thought
our guys competed. There are some plays that we didn't
make that we got to continue to look at and evaluate,
whether from the coaching staff or from the player side
of it, like where we can get better at. And
you know, the the good thing is we have a
buy coming up that we can go and evaluate all
that stuff and really have a great plan coming back
after the buye. But yeah, today wasn't wasn't our best effort.
(04:50):
It wasn't our best wasn't our best game? Here in
a minute, so we'll go back and look at it
and get it cleaned up.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Mike, the breakdowns on special teams from the start of
the game, miss tap on a long return and then
obviously the the return for a touchdown, and then I
don't know what happened with Koo. His foot just got stuck.
I mean, overall, you guys have been solid in special
teams in certain areas.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
What happened tonight, it wasn't. It just wasn't a great
team effort. All three phases. We got to this. Everyone's
got to step up, everyone's got to clean up there.
They're part of the game. But it's never just one phase,
never just one player, So we all got to do
better job.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Before you guys, what did Coup say happen on the
field goal?
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Well, I saw it live. I saw it live. Look
at the ball just kind of slipped a little bit,
so he wouldn't sure if it was gonna gets set.
You know, Jamie tried to reset it, and then by
that time it was kind of you know, he was
already kind of out of his out of his groove
on it, so you know, it was just just a
you know, tough, tough bounce, right there.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Mike, when you when you guys got the ball back
down two possessions, there was a little lack of tempo.
I mean that huddling running the ball. Was there any
consideration given there to to try to speed it up
to get down the feel.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
A little corker? Yeah, No, kind of we went. We
went tempo on it, do you know. I was just
trying to down two scores. We felt like we were
just right in the game, wanting to get the drive going.
I think I had an eye on the time on
where where we would get to to where we really
need to kind of go super fast. But I really
felt like if we can just put together a drive
and go ahead and get points, that would set us
up to be in the game a little bit more. So.
(06:23):
You're right, you're kind of teetering on that on that
line in terms of like going super super fast and
just kind of trying to stay within the game and
not get too far away from it. But that's kind
of where my mind was at as I was calling the.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Fourth and.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
You give a very aggressive the fourth and one in
your fortilan the first that why not go for that? Yeah,
That's that's kind of where that spot was at do
I want to just do I want to punt it back,
kind of back them up, get a quick three now,
and then give us a little bit of field position.
It was a toss up for me. I just I
just didn't want to. I wanted to kind of play
some field position game right there and give our defense
(06:58):
an opportunities. So, you know, that's one that I'll go
back and look at if I if that's one where
I could rip off another fourth down opportunity, right But
you know, in the heat, in the heat of the game,
that's where I kind of felt.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Is that kind of a good The way Drake may
have played against you guys.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Well, he was obviously very productive, you know, scrambling, throwing
the football. You know, he did a nice job with
some of the explosive things. So you know, we got
to button that stuff up in the back end, tie
it in with the front end, and get everything a
little bit cleaner.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Understanding that play that fourth and one, he said, you
have to go back and look over it. But just
knowing how much you want to be aggressive, is that
something made you will look at it and say, what
plausive that you know they sware that field or not
without a play, maybe you'd want back just because it
went against you wanted to be more aggressive.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yeah, we were. We were like in go for fourth downs.
I mean, you saw all the times we ran it
on third down. Those are pretty much all go for us.
So you know, we want to be aggressive, want to
stay aggressive, and when the opportunity comes up, we'll try
and be aggressive. I just at that time, it just
didn't feel like that was the spot for it. Depending
you know, we get it great. If we don't, now
you're basically, you know, making a three score game. You
(08:02):
know where it's now it's a little bit more difficult.
So just trying to play field position and just and
stay with it.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Of the operation with that Charlie pulling sitting, was your
sense of the operation with Charlie call in the defense?
Speaker 1 (08:15):
I thought the operation was cleaned. I thought the operation
was clean on the headsets bouncing back and forth in
the headset, so I can hear a little bit of it.
But you know, he was calling, he was poised. You know,
we just all got to do a better job. Do
you think shambowin was the wrong decision after watching the
defense today? I doubt, I doubt, you know, I stand
by Charlie. He'll do a great he'll continue to get better.
I stand by our defensive side of the sad by
(08:36):
all our coaches. We had great coaching staff here and
you know these guys. Everyone will step up. The coaching staff,
the players, the surrounding support staff will all step up
for us. Right, And that's what we've got to That's
what we got to think about that what'll be our goal?
He was the right.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Was there any thought on that last series, you know,
talking about protecting Jackson He took some hits on the
last one of not putting him out there again.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
So like taking him out of the game. No, I was.
I wasn't in front of my mine at all.
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