New York Giants legend and CBS Sports NFL analyst Tiki Barber again defended Giants head coach Brian Daboll even though defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka could both move on from the organization this winter.
“I keep hearing these nonsense takes, ‘It’s an indictment on Brian Daboll that Mike Kafka might not be here,'” Barber said during Friday’s edition of the WFAN “Evan and Tiki” program, as shared by Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “Maybe Mike Kafka just wasn’t good here, and it was more of an indictment on Mike Kafka.”
Barber recently offered similar comments after it was learned that Daboll’s alleged temper and in-game outbursts reportedly resulted in the Giants and Martindale “mutually” agreeing to part ways after Week 18. As Dan Benton of Giants Wire/USA Today mentioned, team insider Jordan Raanan of ESPN reported on the latest edition of the “Breaking Big Blue” podcast that the club could let Kafka out of his contract even if he doesn’t land a job as a head coach this offseason because Kafka is “unhappy” and felt that Daboll “was super suffocating” this past season.
Raanan first said in an article published on Jan. 4 that there had “been rumblings that Kafka could want out.” According to Benton, Raanan added on the “Breaking Big Blue” podcast that special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey “kind of wanted out” before McGaughey was fired on the NFL’s “Black Monday.” Despite such turmoil, Giants general manager Joe Schoen and co-owner John Mara reportedly are backing Daboll to right the ship.
Barber praised Daboll on Friday for holding coordinators and assistants “accountable” amid and after a season that the Giants finished with a 6-11 record.
“The narrative of, ‘This sounds like trouble for the Giants because Daboll has problems with his coordinators,’ maybe the coordinators sucked in those moments,” Barber continued. “You should have a problem with them. I’m serious.”
Those running the Giants clearly agree with Barber’s opinion. However, if Daboll continues to make enemies and lose more than he wins, Mara could be looking for a new head coach and a different GM as soon as next January.
