The Seattle Seahawks have included Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka on their list of possible candidates for the team’s offensive coordinator opening, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Fowler mentioned Kafka along with former Jets head coach Adam Gase as the latest names the Seahawks are exploring to lead their offense next season.
“Seahawks have spoken to former Jets head coach Adam Gase about the offensive coordinator opening, per source, and they intend to speak to Chiefs QBs coach Mike Kafka at some point,” Fowler noted on Twitter. “Seattle casting wide net to get some new ideas for Russell Wilson and co.”
Kafka has been with the Chiefs since 2017 beginning as the team’s offensive quality control coach and was elevated to the quarterbacks coach in 2018. This season, Kafka was given the added responsibility of being the Chiefs’ passing game coordinator as well. From 2010 to 2015, Kafka was a journeyman NFL quarterback notching stints with the Eagles, Patriots, Jaguars, Buccaneers, Vikings, Titans and Bengals.
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Mahomes on Kafka: ‘He Expects Me to Be Great Every Single Day’
The Seahawks’ interest in Kafka is likely tied to the hope that the coach could bring elements of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning offense to Seattle. Mahomes has indicated he has a great relationship with Kafka crediting him for maintaining a high standard for the Chiefs offense.
“He expects me to be great every single day,” Mahomes noted prior to the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl in 2020, per Chicago Sun-Times. “He goes out there and doesn’t let me be satisfied with . . . having success. He wants to make sure I’m better every single time I’m out there.”
It is important to mention that Mahomes deserves a lot of the credit for the Chiefs’ success, but the experience Kafka has gained on a championship team should not be dismissed. Kafka pointed to Mahomes as a big reason that the Chiefs have such a prolific offense.
“Pat’s the one out there with the football,” Kafka explained, via Chicago Sun-Times. “Pat’s the one putting in the work, in-season and the offseason. I’m trying to facilitate and put him in the right direction. He’s the one putting in the time and watching film and studying and prepping. He’s taken great steps. From the day he got here to now, it’s night and day.”
There Is Some Skepticism Over the Attractiveness of the Seahawks’ Offensive Coordinator Job
The Seahawks may have some challenges attracting all the candidates they want to consider given Pete Carroll’s involvement in the offense. The team parted ways with Brian Schottenheimer just a day after Carroll gave a lengthy press conference on the need for the offense to re-emphasize the rushing attack. CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora reported some coaches are not sold on the attractiveness of the Seahawks offensive coordinator role despite the ability to work with Wilson.
“There is definitely some skepticism in the coaching ranks as to how attractive this job is, even with a talent the likes of Russell Wilson to work with (and those receivers),” LaCanfora detailed. “If I was the Seahawks I would reach out to Chiefs quarterback back Mike Kafka and Ravens quarterbacks coach James Urban and Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott. I’d be looking for the most inspired choice to find ways to attack all quadrants of the field through the air and tap into Wilson’s unique skillset. But it’s fair to say there is skepticism within the industry about this search actually playing out in that manner.”
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