Some Detroit Lions fans were hesitant about offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s hiring last month following an uninspiring three-year stint in the same role with the Arizona Cardinals. That’s why it was a godsend when the Lions hired former New York Giants OC Mike Kafka to an offensive coaching role to lend Petzing a hand.

Kafka’s creativity and success in two areas where the Lions struggled last season — the run game and offensive line, respectively — play a huge role in why fans are excited for his arrival. Unfortunately, the latest offseason rumors hint that the 38-year-old coach might not be long for the Motor City.

With Seattle Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak “expected” to become the Las Vegas Raiders head coach after the Super Bowl, ESPN‘s Jeremy Fowler theorizes that Kafka could end up being Kubiak’s replacement.

“Some people I’ve talked to here in San Francisco think Seattle coach Mike Macdonald will want to keep a similar, Kubiak-style system in place… Seattle was very impressed with Mike Kafka during head coach interviews two years ago. He’s now a senior assistant in Detroit and could be a name to watch.”

Jeremy Fowler, ESPN

Seahawks Emerge as Threat to Poach Mike Kafka from Lions

Kafka has an impressive resume despite having a decade of coaching experience, so it isn’t surprising that the Seahawks might come calling his name. Conversely, that doesn’t make a premature exit any less disappointing for Lions fans.

As the question marks swirled around Petzing’s hiring, Kafka’s subsequent arrival helped turn a concerning situation into a promising one. After all, the Chicago native brings Super Bowl experience. Kafka worked multiple offensive roles with the Kansas City Chiefs for five seasons (2017-21), including quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator.

Kafka left the Chiefs to become the Giants’ offensive coordinator in 2022, eventually adding ‘assistant head coach’ to his title in 2024. That came a year before the Seahawks requested to interview Kafka for their then-vacant OC role, which the Giants denied, eventually leading to Kubiak taking the job.

Interestingly, that wasn’t even the first time Seattle requested his services. The Seahawks interviewed Kafka twice for a head coaching job before it went to current HC Mike Macdonald in 2024. Clearly, he’s someone they’ve been keeping on their radar for any potential opportunity to hire him.

Now, the situation could come full circle, leaving the Lions at risk of losing another key coach. Detroit still hasn’t recovered from former OC Ben Johnson and ex-defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s departures last season, and losing Kafka before he even gets a chance to make a mark wouldn’t be great for morale.

For now, Kafka’s potentially premature exit remains hypothetical, as he’s still set to be with the Lions for the 2026 season. Hopefully, it stays that way. Detroit’s embarrassment of offensive riches — from Jahmyr Gibbs to Amon-Ra St. Brown to Sam LaPorta and everyone in between — could benefit from what the Petzing-Kafka tandem brings to the table.

Head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes must do whatever it takes to convince Kafka to stay with the Lions, regardless of how tempting a role with the Seahawks might be. Otherwise, the team could be setting Petzing up to fail next season.