Former Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka has been hired as the Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterbacks coach, per multiple reports.
A little more news from Orlando, as the Chiefs have decided on a new QB coach, a source tells me: https://t.co/3tzKb5xOud
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) January 26, 2018
The Chiefs are to an extent trusting the future of Patrick Mahomes II to Mike Kafka, who will be announced as soon as today as their new quarterbacks coach. Kafka, 30, was a quarterback with Andy Reid for two seasons with the Eagles, throwing 16 passes... https://t.co/1wbWSQcDPl
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) January 26, 2018
Kafka played at Northwestern from 2006-2009, and is best remembered for his 532-yard, 5-total TD performance against Auburn in the 2010 Outback Bowl. He threw for 3,430 yards during that 2009 season after compiling less than 900 in backup duties in his first three years.
He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, spent a couple seasons on their roster, and then bounced around the league for a while. He had some productive preseason games but only attempted 16 regular season passes, all with the Eagles in 2012, throwing 2 picks.
Kafka was a graduate assistant focusing on wide receivers with Northwestern during the 2016 season, the year Austin Carr was a Biletnikoff Award finalist. He was hired by the Chiefs as an offensive quality control coach in February 2017 and served in that role until landing this job as quarterbacks coach.
As one of the embedded tweets gets at, Kafka will likely be in charge of developing 10th-overall pick Patrick Mahomes II over the coming years. It has been reported that Kansas City wants to move on from 33 year-old Alex Smith.
A couple people currently or formerly involved with the Northwestern program reacted to the news:
Great hire for the Chiefs! @mikekafka3 is one of the smartest, hardest working players/coaches I've been around during my time at NU. He's a rising star in the profession! https://t.co/nmCGIlsYCf
— Cody Cejda (@CodyCejda) January 26, 2018
LETS GO!!! @mikekafka3 https://t.co/iPz5XroTEu
— Andrew Scanlan (@Scan_man7) January 26, 2018
This was Fitz a week ago:
.@mikekafka3 is an absolute rising star in this profession. Proud of the player he was and the man he is, and excited for what’s ahead in the future! https://t.co/vw0xHwggON
— Pat Fitzgerald (@coachfitz51) January 18, 2018
Congrats, Mike!