Mike Kafka Joins the Lions: Why the Bears Should Be Paying Close Attention
The Detroit Lions may have missed the playoffs in 2025, but if there’s one team that gave the Chicago Bears fits last season, it was them. Despite a shaky offensive year, the Lions swept the Bears in their two matchups, outscoring them 71-37 and doing so with a roster that never quite clicked the way many expected. Now, they’ve added Mike Kafka to their offensive staff - and that’s a move worth watching closely in Chicago.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a routine coaching hire. Kafka, fresh off a stint as the New York Giants' interim head coach, was widely rumored to be a top candidate for the Green Bay Packers’ offensive coordinator job.
Instead, he lands in Detroit - the one NFC North team that already had the Bears’ number last season. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a Chicago team trying to solidify its hold atop the division.
Kafka’s résumé speaks for itself. He was instrumental in the early years of the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive explosion, serving as Patrick Mahomes’ quarterbacks coach during some of his most prolific seasons.
That kind of pedigree doesn’t just walk in the door unnoticed. And while Detroit’s offense lacked consistency in 2025, the pieces are still there - and now they have a coach with a proven track record of maximizing quarterback play and offensive potential.
For the Bears, this move should sound the alarm. The Lions didn’t just beat them - they did it convincingly, including a win after being eliminated from playoff contention.
That kind of late-season edge says something about the matchup, and adding Kafka only sharpens it. If Detroit can stabilize their offense, they’re going to be right back in the mix for the NFC North crown.
Chicago, meanwhile, enters a new phase. After years of playing the underdog role, they’re now the defending division champs.
That comes with a target on their back - and with both Detroit and Green Bay looking to close the gap, the pressure is on the Bears to keep evolving. The 2025 campaign was a breakthrough, no doubt.
But now comes the hard part: proving it wasn’t a one-off.
This offseason, the Bears’ front office and coaching staff need to operate with urgency. Detroit’s move to bring in Kafka is a reminder that the rest of the division isn’t standing still. If Chicago wants to stay on top, they’ll need to make smart, aggressive decisions - whether that’s in free agency, the draft, or within their own coaching ranks.
The NFC North is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in football next season. Kafka’s arrival in Detroit just tightened the race. Now it’s on the Bears to respond - and show that last season was just the beginning.