The New York Giants' interim head coach, Mike Kafka, took his first big decision, relieving the defensive of his duties on Monday. The firing felt like a surprise following Kafka previously claimed having confidence in him.
Kafka justified his decision to dismiss Bowen to the media on Monday.
“When I got the job, I didn’t want to make a lot of rash decisions and jump to anything really quick,” said Kafka (Time Stamp 0:24).
“I wanted to have some time to sit back, evaluate,” Kafka added (Time Stamp 0:30).
When he reviewed the tapes, he witnessed some things which led him to let Bowen go. Bowen had taken enough criticism throughout the year for the G-Men's defensive performances. As of now, New York are the third-worst defense in the league, allowing 385.0 offensive yards per game. In 12 games this season, the Giants have given up a total of 334 points, the most in the NFC and second-most in the NFL behind the Cincinnati Bengals.
Kafka thinks Charlie Bullen is right man to lead the defense
While Kafka has made his first big change, he is making similar comments regarding the new defensive coordinator. As of now, Charlie Bullen is the man in charge of defense, having previously served as the outside linebackers coach and pass-rush coordinator.
“I have a lot of faith in Charlie and the pedigree that he brings coming into this defense,” said Kafka.
As of now, the Giants rank 16th in the team sacks, with 26 in 2025. While Bullen is the defensive coordinator on a temporary basis, Kafka says the defensive game planning will be a collaborative effort.
While the Giants have continuously lost six games, Kafka insists there are enough positives to move on. Five of their 10 defeats this season have been by a single score. They'll have their work cut out to try and end that spiral when they face the New England Patriots next on Monday, December 1. The Pats currently hold the best record in the NFL at 10-2.