Mike Kafka
Encyclopedia
Michael John "Mike" Kafka (born July 25, 1987) is an American football
quarterback
for the Philadelphia Eagles
of the National Football League
(NFL). He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Northwestern
.
Kafka attended St. Rita of Cascia High School
in Chicago
, Illinois
, where he played both football and baseball
. Kafka led St. Rita Cascia to three conference championships. He ended his high school football
career with 1,816 total yards and 16 touchdowns. After his senior season, he moved on to Northwestern University
where he redshirted
in 2005
.
In his first collegiate appearance, Kafka threw a 19-yard touchdown pass against Miami
. Against Bowling Green
, Kafka suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out until the Ohio State
game. In 2007
, Kafka was the backup to C. J. Bachér and played in only two games. Despite being the backup quarterback again in 2008
, Kafka threw for 330 yards and finished second on the team in rushing yards with 321. Following Bachér's graduation after the 2008 season, Kafka became the starter for 2009
. Against Syracuse
he set the school record for most consecutive pass completions with 16. In the same game, he became the first Big Ten Conference
player to score a passing, receiving, and rushing touchdown since Zack Mills
from Penn State
in 2004
. He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance. Kafka received second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2009.
In the 2010 Outback Bowl
against Auburn
, Kafka set the all-time bowl record with 47 completions and 78 passing attempts. He set Northwestern and Outback Bowl records with 532 passing yards and an Outback Bowl record with five interceptions. During his career at Northwestern, Kafka threw for 4,265 yards with a completion percentage of 64.1%, 19 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He rushed for 891 yards and 11 touchdowns on 268 carries, and caught a pass for 24 yards and a touchdown.
, Illinois
, to Michael and Sandra Kafka. He attended St. Rita of Cascia High School
in Chicago where he played football
(coached by Todd Kuska) and baseball
. He was the team captain for both teams. In football, he led the Mustangs to three conference championships and had a career record of 35–8. As a senior in 2004, Kafka completed 75 of 129 passes. In the season-opener against Homewood-Flossmoor High School
, Kafka went up against H-F's quarterback Freddie Barnes
and won the game, 52–28. Against Mt. Carmel High School
, he ran for 164 yards and passed for 126 yards. Kafka passed for 1,004 yards and 10 touchdown
s in 2004. He ran for 806 yards with a 5.6 yards per carry
average, and five touchdowns on 144 carries. His career stats at St. Rita were 1,816 total offensive yards and 16 touchdowns.
Kafka made the school's Silver Honor Roll all four years of high school and was an Academic All-State. He was an All-area selection by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report and was an honorable mention all-state selection. SuperPrep named him All-Midwest Region and Rivals.com placed him on the Top 25 dual-threat quarterbacks list. SuperPrep ranked him 25th among players from Illinois at all positions and 50th nationally among quarterbacks. He was ranked 20th in Illinois by Rivals.com and 25th nationally among dual-threat quarterbacks. Kafka was named Team Offensive MVP and Catholic Metro Blue Offensive MVP. He was an honorable mention all-area honoree by Chicago Sun-Times
and Daily Southtown
.
Kafka committed to Northwestern University
on December 10, 2004. He also received offers from Florida Atlantic University
, the University of Pittsburgh
and Stanford University
.
offensive system.
, Kafka threw for 106 yards and one touchdown
on 13 completions out of 17 attempts. His first touchdown was a 19-yard pass to running back
Tyrell Sutton
. He led all players with 89 yards rushing on 17 rushing
attempts. His passer rating
for that game was 148.26 as Northwestern went on to win 21–3.
Against New Hampshire
on September 9, Kafka went 19–32 and threw for 173 yards along with one interception and a fumble. He rushed for 42 yards. The Wildcats ended up losing the game, 34–17.
He played the first half of the game against Eastern Michigan
and rushed for 33 yards with a 6.6 yards per run average, along with his first career rushing touchdown, a 6-yard run. He passed for 76 yards and completed 10 out of 18 passes with an interception.
Days before Northwestern faced Nevada
, coach Pat Fitzgerald
confirmed that Kafka would remain the starter despite his prior performanaces. In the game, Kafka ran for a career-high 111 yards, which included a 13-yard touchdown rush, and averaged 9.2 yards per rush. He passed for 122 yards, completing 9 out of 21 passes and three interceptions. His 111 yards rushing were the most by a Northwestern quarterback since Zak Kustok
ran for 111 yards in a November 21, 2001 game versus Bowling Green
. Kafka suffered a hamstring injury during the game, which kept him out of the next three games of the season.
Kafka made his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury against Ohio State
, in which he passed for 17 yards and completed four out of eight passes. He averaged −4.0 yards per carry.
as a backup quarterback behind C. J. Bachér. Against Syracuse
, Kafka entered the game in the fourth quarter and rushed twice for 18 yards, which included an 11-yard run. Against Southern Illinois, he threw two passes and completed one for one yard and rushed for three yards. He played in the final series at Indiana
and completed a pass, which went for nine yards.
Starting in place of the injured Bachér for the game against Minnesota
, Kafka ran for 217 yards on 27 attempts, which included a 53-yard run, and passed for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 12 completions out of 16 throws. His 217 rushing yards set a school and Big Ten Conference
record for quarterback rushing yards in a game. The Big Ten record was later beaten in 2010
by Michigan
quarterback Denard Robinson
on September 11, 2010. Kafka began the game by completing his first eight throws, which included a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Ebert. He was named the team's offensive player of the week after that game, along with being named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Kafka earned an ESPN College Gameday Helmet Sticker and was named an AT&T All-America Player of the Week candidate.
The next week, Kafka started in his second straight game against Ohio State
, and passed for 177 yards while completing 18 out of 27 throws. He ran for 83 yards and a touchdown on 29 attempts. He ran for 300 yards in his two starts against Ohio State, which is the most by a Northwestern quarterback in successive contests. He was named the team's offensive big playmaker for the game.
Against Michigan
, he entered the game in Northwestern's second series on offense and rushed for 20 yards on three carries before he was forced to leave the game after suffering a concussion. He ran for one yard on three carries against Illinois
.
Kafka passed for 330 yards during the season along with two touchdowns on 32 completions and 46 total attempts. He finished second on the team in rushing with 321 yards.
starting quarterback after C. J. Bachér graduated. He was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
watch list, along with 19 other players nationally, with two others in the Big Ten Conference. Texas
quarterback Colt McCoy
eventually won the award. In the offseason, he was tutored by offensive coordinator Mick McCall and former Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez
. Kafka was named co-captain for the 2009 season.
At home against Towson
on September 5 to start the 2009 season, Kafka threw for 192 yards on 15 completions of 20 attempts. He ran for six yards on six carries. Against Eastern Michigan
at home on September 12, he threw for 158 yards and one interception on 14 completions out of 24 attempts. He ran for 21 yards on five runs. During the Syracuse
game, Kafka set a school record for consecutive completions in a game with 16, breaking the 47-year-old record set by Tom Myers in 1962. He set a career-high in passing yards in a game by passing for 390 yards. His previous career-high was 192 yards in a game against Towson in the 2009 season opener. Kafka also ran for a three-yard touchdown and threw three touchdown passes along with an interception. He caught a receiving touchdown when he tossed a lateral to Andrew Brewer who threw it back to Kafka for a 24-yard touchdown. Kafka became the first Big Ten Conference player to score at least one passing, receiving and rushing touchdown in a game since Zack Mills
from Penn State
accomplished it on September 4, 2004 against Akron
. Kafka finished the game with 35 completions on 42 attempts. He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week on September 20 for his performance against Syracuse. Kafka passed for 309 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Minnesota
. He took four sacks
and during a desperation drive to win the game, fumbled the football, which helped end the game. In the Purdue
game, Kafka went 28-of-44 and threw for 224 yards. He rushed for a season-high 39 yards on 18 carries and ran for the game-winning two-yard touchdown. After leading after the touchdown 25–21, Kafka threw a successful two-point conversion pass to Drake Dunsmore to increase the lead by six to win the game after Purdue failed to score on the final drive of the game. Kafka went 15 completions of 31 attempts for 191 yards and one interception to lead Northwestern to a 16–6 win over Miami (OH)
. He was the leading rusher for Northwestern, rushing for 53 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. In the 24–14 loss at Michigan State
on October 17, Kafka went 34-for-47 and threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns. He was the leading rusher for the second straight week for Northwestern, rushing for 42 yards on 18 carries. In a come-from-behind win against Indiana
, the Wildcats trailed 28–3 during the second quarter before Kafka ran for a one-yard touchdown and later passed for two touchdowns to lead Northwestern to a 29–28 win. The Wildcats overcame a 25-point deficit, which was the biggest comeback in school history. He went 26-of-46 and passed for 312 yards, along with two touchdowns and a career-tying three interceptions. He rushed for 65 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown. Kafka totaled 377 yards of total offense, which is second-best in his career. Against 12th ranked Penn State
, Kafka went 14-for-18 and passed for 128 yards, along with rushing for 42 yards on eight carries and a touchdown before leaving the game with a leg injury during the second quarter. He was replaced by Dan Persa
. Kafka shared time at quarterback with Persa due to his strained hamstring on November 7 against the 4th-ranked, and previously undefeated, Iowa Hawkeyes
. Northwestern coming into the game was a 16-point underdog, but still beat Iowa 17–10 in Northwestern’s first win over a nationally-ranked top-ten team since they won against Ohio State
in 2004. Persa had to leave the game early to receive X-rays for a hand injury, which forced Kafka to play more than original planned. He finished as Northwestern’s leading passer with 72 yards on ten completions. Against Illinois
on November 14, Kafka threw for 305 yards and went 23-of-37, along with a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Zeke Markshausen
. He rushed seven times for 12 yards and a one-yard touchdown to beat the Fighting Illini 21–16. Kafka threw for 300 or more yards for the fourth time this season. Against 16th-ranked Wisconsin
on November 21, Kafka went 26-of-40 for 326 yards and two touchdowns, both to converted wide receiver Andrew Brewer. He rushed for 17 yards on seven carries to upset the Badgers with a 33–31 win. Kafka threw for 300 or more yards for the fifth time this season and for the second straight game. He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Wisconsin.
Kafka ranked third in the Big Ten Conference in passing yards with 241.5 passing yards per game and he ranked second in total offense. He finished the season tied for first in the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with seven. His 65.7 completion percentage for 2009 ranked first in the Big Ten. His 414 pass attempts ranked third in the Big Ten and eighth among all quarterbacks nationally.
Kafka was named second-team All-Big Ten following the 2009 season. He was named first-team All-Big Ten by Rivals.com
. He finished fourth in the Chicago Tribune's Silver Football
voting, given out to the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player, behind Brandon Graham
, Daryll Clark
and John Clay
.
Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese
said of Kafka that he "has the three qualities I look for. One, he's a good decision-maker, he knows when to throw the ball away. Two, he's accurate. Three, he makes plays. This is where Kafka really jumps out. If he has a playmaker downfield, he gets the ball to him."
Kafka graduated from Northwestern in December.
In the 2010 Outback Bowl
against Auburn
on January 1, Kafka set the all-time bowl record with 47 completions and 78 passing attempts. He set Northwestern and Outback Bowl records with 532 passing yards, a career-high. He set an Outback Bowl record with five interceptions. He tied the Outback Bowl record with four touchdown passes. His 98 plays and 566 total yards were also Outback Bowl records. He threw four touchdown passes in the 38-35 loss that went to overtime, with two going to Andrew Brewer (39 and 35 yards), one to Drake Dunsmore for 66 yards, and one to Sidney Stewart for 18 yards. He finished second in rushing for Northwestern with 20 carries for 34 yards and a two-yard touchdown. He was named to ESPN.com
s All-Big Ten Bowl team as an honorable mention.
Kafka was named Northwestern's Most Valuable Player on offense following the season.
Kafka led the Big Ten in passing yards with 3,430 yards, total offense with 286.8 yards per game, completions with 24.5 per game, and fewest interceptions with 2.44 of all passes being intercepted. He was seventh nationally in completions, 16th in passing yards and 12th in total offensive yards.
His 3,430 passing yards are third-most in school history. His 3,729 total offensive yards are second-most in school history.
In the 2010 East–West Shrine Game
on January 23, Kafka started at quarterback for the East squad and, despite a slow start, led the East squad to a comeback victory. On the final drive of the game, Kafka threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Penn State
tight end
Andrew Quarless
to win the game for the East squad, 13–10. After the game, Kafka was named Offensive MVP after he went 18-of-27, passed for 150 yards and threw the winning touchdown pass.
His win/loss ratio for his career as the starting quarterback for Northwestern was 11–8. He finished his career as the third all-time leading quarterback rusher at Northwestern with 887 yards rushing, and as the eighth all-time leading passer with 4,265 yards passing.
, Kafka was projected to be drafted in the sixth round by NFLDraftScout.com and as high as the fourth round. He was rated as the eleventh-best quarterback in the draft. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald
said that the theme that 85 NFL scouts, general managers and personnel directors who watched film or came to see a game or a practice said about Kafka was that he "throws a lot better than our No. 3 [quarterback] does right now." Fitzgerald also said that he would be "shocked" if Kafka was not drafted in the 2010 NFL Draft. After the Outback Bowl loss to Auburn on January 1, in which Kafka threw 78 passes for 532 yards, Fitzgerald said, "I hope the NFL sees the same thing that I see, a man with a big-time arm." An NFL general manager
said at the 2010 Senior Bowl
that Kafka could be drafted as high as the third round.
Kafka was invited to the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, which started on February 24, along with teammates Corey Wootton
and Sherrick McManis
. Kafka chose Mike McCartney of Priority Sports of Chicago as his agent, who also represents Wootton. Priority hired former Chicago Bears
quarterback Erik Kramer
and a trainer in Phoenix, Arizona
to help Kafka prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine. To prepare for the Combine, Kafka worked out twice a day in Arizona, and held practice sessions with Notre Dame
wide receiver Golden Tate
. At the Combine, Kafka said, "I want to be an NFL starter. I'm not going to the league to be a No. 2. I think my whole game can go to another level. I'm ready to take it up another notch."
Kafka chose not to bench press at the NFL Combine. On February 28, Kafka answered 35 out of the 50 questions on the Wonderlic test, and was "99 percent sure" that he answered all 35 correctly. Draft analyst Mike Mayock
said that Kafka was "a developmental guy" who should stay on a team's practice squad for a year. Kafka had some of the best measurements in the vertical jump, broad jump, 60-yard shuttle, and three-cone drill among all quarterbacks.
At Northwestern's Pro Day on March 11, Kafka passed to his former teammates Andrew Brewer and Zeke Markshausen, and, according to Gil Brandt
, only missed one pass during the entire workout. 25 NFL teams attended the workout, including the Cincinnati Bengals
quarterbacks coach
Ken Zampese
and the Arizona Cardinals
quarterback coach Chris Miller.
Northwestern held its second Pro Day workout on March 29. He passed to his former teammates Brewer, Markshausen, and Brendan Mitchell during the workout. He was reportedly not as accurate on the second Pro Day as he was on the first, but still "very accurate." 24 NFL team representatives attended the Pro Day.
Kafka worked out for the Cincinnati Bengals
, Cleveland Browns
, New England Patriots
and Oakland Raiders
prior to the draft. Mike Mayock called Kafka the "sleeper" of the quarterback class, projecting him to be drafted in the sixth round. Mayock also said, "He's a really smart kid. Has a better arm than people think. I don't even think he's sleeping anymore. He was a month-and-a-half ago, but he's on the rise. He's a kid who could surprise people at the end of the day." Former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski
concurred, saying that Kafka "knows how to play the quarterback position. There's a real feel for hitting the open receiver, good anticipation. I can see him being one of those sleeper type guys." A scout before the draft said that Kafka "throws a lot of picks, but at least he's willing to pull the trigger. You don't see that from a lot of young kids."
in the fourth round (122nd overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft
. He was the fifth quarterback taken in the draft, behind Sam Bradford
(1st overall), Tim Tebow
(25th overall), Jimmy Clausen
(48th overall) and Colt McCoy
(85th overall). Kafka was expected be the team's third-string quarterback behind Kevin Kolb
and Michael Vick
. Eagles head coach Andy Reid
said of Kafka, "I think once you meet him, I think you'll see he's a smart guy. He has some of the intangible things - the leadership, he's a tough kid. Inner city, Chicago kid. He's got a little grit to him. I think that's important. You have to be wired right to handle you guys and play in the city of Philadelphia. I think he's wired right. He likes to compete." Kafka was signed to a four-year contract worth $2.256 million with $467,000 guaranteed on June 15, 2010.
In the final practice of rookie and selected veterans training camp on July 29, Kafka took all the snaps at quarterback after Kolb and Vick got practice off. After practice, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg
said Kafka was "the best rookie that I've ever had in 15, 16, 17 years or something like that. So, he's really sharp. Now, he's sharp book-wise, but he's also very intelligent in a football sense. He's really picked [the playbook] up very quickly."
In the first preseason game on August 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars
, Kafka went 3-for-7 for 76 yards and threw a 57-yard pass to wide receiver Chad Hall
after taking over for Vick late in the third quarter. Kafka began the second preseason game on August 20 against the Cincinnati Bengals
in the fourth quarter. He went 4-for-12 for 29 yards and two interceptions (both to cornerback Morgan Trent
) with a passer rating of 2.4. He also had one carry for 24 yards. On August 27 against the Kansas City Chiefs
, Kafka came into the game in the fourth quarter and went 9-for-13 for 93 yards and one touchdown. He led the Eagles on the winning drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Riley Cooper with 23 seconds left in the game to win, 20–17. In the final preseason game on September 2, Kafka replaced Vick during the second quarter and played for almost three quarters. He went 9-for-27 for 76 yards and an interception against the New York Jets
.
During the 2010 regular season and playoffs, Kafka was inactive as the team's third quarterback for all but five games. In week two Kafka was the backup to Vick against the Detroit Lions
after Kolb suffered a concussion in week one against the Green Bay Packers
. In week five against the San Francisco 49ers
, week six against the Atlanta Falcons
and week seven against the Tennessee Titans
, Kafka was the backup to Kolb after Vick, who took over as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, suffered a rib injury in week four against the Washington Redskins
. In the week seventeen game against the Dallas Cowboys
, Kafka was the backup quarterback to Kolb in a decision to rest Vick and the team's starters before the playoffs.
Kafka said of his rookie year that he "learned a lot about football. I learned a lot about being a professional, especially being around [Vick] and [Kolb]. Those guys have been great mentors, and obviously the coaching staff that I have has been really great as far as developing me to learn the west coast system
."
offseason was to "continue to learn the offense. I haven't mastered it by any means, the more study and preparation I can get the better. Physically, I can work on my feet, my arm strength, and my timing and rhythm. There's a bunch of things I can work on, and I'm really excited to get to it." Eagles general manager Howie Roseman
said Kafka is the hardest working player in the NFL, but needs to get bigger and stronger. The Eagles reportedly received trade offers from other teams for Kafka prior to the 2011 NFL Draft
but declined due to his potential. Kafka, in response, laughed and did not believe the rumors.
Because of the NFL lockout, Kafka and his teammates organized informal workouts in Marlton, New Jersey
. After one of the workout sessions, Vick said Kafka was "ready for" the backup role and would embrace it should Kolb leave after the lifting of the lockout. Kolb was traded to the Arizona Cardinals
on July 28 following the lifting of the NFL lockout
, and Kafka was temporarily elevated to the backup behind Vick before the Eagles signed former Tennessee Titan
Vince Young
on July 29. Kafka took second-team reps at the start of training camp, but on the first official depth chart that was released on August 9, Kafka was listed as the third-stringer behind Young.
Against the Baltimore Ravens
in the preseason opener on August 11, Kafka replaced Young at quarterback during the second quarter and played into the fourth quarter. He went 13-of-19 for 132 yards with one interception thrown to Ravens safety Bernard Pollard
in the game. In the second week of the preseason on August 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, Kafka entered the game in the fourth quarter and led the Eagles to two scoring drives in a 24–14 loss. With less than four minutes remaining in the game, he threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Gerald Jones, and with only 19 seconds left on the following drive, threw a second touchdown pass to Jones for seven yards. He finished the game going 14-for-19 for 160 yards along with the two scores.
. Mike's brother, Jason, is a redshirt sophomore quarterback at San Jose State
and attended St. Rita of Cascia High School. Both Kafkas were recruited by Ken Margerum, who is now an assistant at San Jose State.
Kafka worked as an instructor at former Northwestern teammate Brett Basanez
's prep quarterback development camps in Woodbury, Minnesota
and Minnetonka, Minnesota
, in mid-2011. Kafka worked at a Pop Warner Football
passing camp, Three5Seven, with former Northwestern teammate Chris Malleo in July 2011.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Northwestern
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
.
Kafka attended St. Rita of Cascia High School
St. Rita of Cascia High School
St. Rita of Cascia High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and is operated by the Order of Saint Augustine...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, where he played both football and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. Kafka led St. Rita Cascia to three conference championships. He ended his high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
career with 1,816 total yards and 16 touchdowns. After his senior season, he moved on to Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
where he redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
in 2005
2005 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2005 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2005 NCAA Division I FBS football season.-Schedule:-External Links:*...
.
In his first collegiate appearance, Kafka threw a 19-yard touchdown pass against Miami
Miami RedHawks football
The Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...
. Against Bowling Green
Bowling Green Falcons
The Bowling Green Falcons are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Bowling Green State University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Falcons participate in NCAA Division I in the Mid-American Conference and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. BGSU is one of only 13 universities in the...
, Kafka suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out until the Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
game. In 2007
2007 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2007 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2007–2008 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his second season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach...
, Kafka was the backup to C. J. Bachér and played in only two games. Despite being the backup quarterback again in 2008
2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten during the 2008–2009 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his third season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach...
, Kafka threw for 330 yards and finished second on the team in rushing yards with 321. Following Bachér's graduation after the 2008 season, Kafka became the starter for 2009
2009 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2009 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten during the 2009–2010 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his fourth season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach. The Wildcats home games were played at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois...
. Against Syracuse
Syracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
he set the school record for most consecutive pass completions with 16. In the same game, he became the first Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
player to score a passing, receiving, and rushing touchdown since Zack Mills
Zack Mills
Zachary Eric Mills is a former American football quarterback. He was an All-Big Ten selection and four-year starter at Penn State University...
from Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
in 2004
2004 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2004 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2004 college football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.-Preseason:...
. He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance. Kafka received second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2009.
In the 2010 Outback Bowl
2010 Outback Bowl
The 2010 Outback Bowl was the 24th edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The game started at 11 AM US EST on Friday, January 1, 2010. The game was telecast on ESPN and matched Auburn University against Northwestern University...
against Auburn
2009 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2009 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by first year head coach Gene Chizik...
, Kafka set the all-time bowl record with 47 completions and 78 passing attempts. He set Northwestern and Outback Bowl records with 532 passing yards and an Outback Bowl record with five interceptions. During his career at Northwestern, Kafka threw for 4,265 yards with a completion percentage of 64.1%, 19 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He rushed for 891 yards and 11 touchdowns on 268 carries, and caught a pass for 24 yards and a touchdown.
Early years
Kafka was born on July 25, 1987, in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, to Michael and Sandra Kafka. He attended St. Rita of Cascia High School
St. Rita of Cascia High School
St. Rita of Cascia High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and is operated by the Order of Saint Augustine...
in Chicago where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
(coached by Todd Kuska) and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. He was the team captain for both teams. In football, he led the Mustangs to three conference championships and had a career record of 35–8. As a senior in 2004, Kafka completed 75 of 129 passes. In the season-opener against Homewood-Flossmoor High School
Homewood-Flossmoor High School
Homewood-Flossmoor High School is a public high school in Flossmoor, Illinois, in the Chicago metropolitan area. The majority of HF students live in Flossmoor and nearby Homewood, but the school also serves areas of Olympia Fields, Chicago Heights, Glenwood, and Hazel Crest serving school...
, Kafka went up against H-F's quarterback Freddie Barnes
Freddie Barnes
Freddie Lee Barnes is an American football wide receiver currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
and won the game, 52–28. Against Mt. Carmel High School
Mount Carmel High School (Chicago)
Mount Carmel High School is an all boys, Catholic high school in the city of Chicago, Illinois. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, the school has been operated by the Carmelite order of priests and brothers since 1900...
, he ran for 164 yards and passed for 126 yards. Kafka passed for 1,004 yards and 10 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s in 2004. He ran for 806 yards with a 5.6 yards per carry
Carry (American football)
In American football, a carry is a statistical term equivalent to a single rushing play. The term is typically used in reference to "yards per carry," meaning yards per attempt rushing the ball. Any offensive player who performs a carry is known as a ballcarrier, regardless of position....
average, and five touchdowns on 144 carries. His career stats at St. Rita were 1,816 total offensive yards and 16 touchdowns.
Kafka made the school's Silver Honor Roll all four years of high school and was an Academic All-State. He was an All-area selection by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report and was an honorable mention all-state selection. SuperPrep named him All-Midwest Region and Rivals.com placed him on the Top 25 dual-threat quarterbacks list. SuperPrep ranked him 25th among players from Illinois at all positions and 50th nationally among quarterbacks. He was ranked 20th in Illinois by Rivals.com and 25th nationally among dual-threat quarterbacks. Kafka was named Team Offensive MVP and Catholic Metro Blue Offensive MVP. He was an honorable mention all-area honoree by Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
and Daily Southtown
Daily Southtown
The SouthtownStar is a newspaper of the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area that covers the south suburbs of Chicago and the South Side neighborhoods of the city - a wide region known as the Chicago Southland. Its popular slogan is "People Up North Just Don't Get It"...
.
Kafka committed to Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
on December 10, 2004. He also received offers from Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
, the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
2005 season
During the 2005 season, his first year, Kafka redshirted in order for him to learn the Northwestern Wildcats'2005 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2005 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2005 NCAA Division I FBS football season.-Schedule:-External Links:*...
offensive system.
2006 season
In his Northwestern career debut on September 1 versus Miami University2006 Miami RedHawks football team
The 2006 Miami RedHawks football team represented the Miami University in the college football season of 2006. The team was coached by Shane Montgomery and played their homes game in Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio.-Pre-season:...
, Kafka threw for 106 yards and one touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
on 13 completions out of 17 attempts. His first touchdown was a 19-yard pass to running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Tyrell Sutton
Tyrell Sutton
Tyrell DelShawn Sutton, , is an American football running back who formerly played for the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
. He led all players with 89 yards rushing on 17 rushing
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
attempts. His passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
for that game was 148.26 as Northwestern went on to win 21–3.
Against New Hampshire
New Hampshire Wildcats
The New Hampshire Wildcats, or Cats, are the athletic teams of the University of New Hampshire. The wildcat is the school's official mascot, the colors are UNH Blue and white...
on September 9, Kafka went 19–32 and threw for 173 yards along with one interception and a fumble. He rushed for 42 yards. The Wildcats ended up losing the game, 34–17.
He played the first half of the game against Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan Eagles football
The Eastern Michigan Eagles are a college football program at Eastern Michigan University. They compete in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference...
and rushed for 33 yards with a 6.6 yards per run average, along with his first career rushing touchdown, a 6-yard run. He passed for 76 yards and completed 10 out of 18 passes with an interception.
Days before Northwestern faced Nevada
Nevada Wolf Pack football
The Nevada Wolf Pack Football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Western Athletic Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NCAA...
, coach Pat Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald
-External links:*...
confirmed that Kafka would remain the starter despite his prior performanaces. In the game, Kafka ran for a career-high 111 yards, which included a 13-yard touchdown rush, and averaged 9.2 yards per rush. He passed for 122 yards, completing 9 out of 21 passes and three interceptions. His 111 yards rushing were the most by a Northwestern quarterback since Zak Kustok
Zak Kustok
Zak Adam Kustok is an American businessman who was starting quarterback for the Northwestern Wildcats from 1999 to 2001. He originally matriculated at Notre Dame, but suffered from a change in the offensive game plan when Bob Davie replaced Lou Holtz, who had recruited him...
ran for 111 yards in a November 21, 2001 game versus Bowling Green
Bowling Green Falcons football
The Bowling Green Falcons football team is the interscholastic football team at Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green competes as a member of the Mid-American Conference in the East Division. The Falcons have won ten conference championships....
. Kafka suffered a hamstring injury during the game, which kept him out of the next three games of the season.
Kafka made his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury against Ohio State
2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team representing the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium...
, in which he passed for 17 yards and completed four out of eight passes. He averaged −4.0 yards per carry.
2007 season
In 2007, Kafka was a backup and only played in two games, where he passed for 11 yards on two completions and rushed for eight yards.2008 season
Kafka entered the 2008 season2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten during the 2008–2009 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his third season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach...
as a backup quarterback behind C. J. Bachér. Against Syracuse
2008 Syracuse Orange football team
The 2008 Syracuse Orange football team is the football team representing Syracuse University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Orange is coached by Greg Robinson and plays their home games in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York....
, Kafka entered the game in the fourth quarter and rushed twice for 18 yards, which included an 11-yard run. Against Southern Illinois, he threw two passes and completed one for one yard and rushed for three yards. He played in the final series at Indiana
2008 Indiana Hoosiers football team
The 2008 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented the Indiana University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hoosiers were coached by Bill Lynch and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.-Schedule:...
and completed a pass, which went for nine yards.
Starting in place of the injured Bachér for the game against Minnesota
2008 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
The 2008 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was the second under head coach Tim Brewster. They began play on August 30, 2008 at home against Northern Illinois from the Mid-American Conference, and finished the regular season against Iowa, on November 22. It was the Golden Gophers' final...
, Kafka ran for 217 yards on 27 attempts, which included a 53-yard run, and passed for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 12 completions out of 16 throws. His 217 rushing yards set a school and Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
record for quarterback rushing yards in a game. The Big Ten record was later beaten in 2010
2010 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2010 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Michigan played its home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan and competed in the Big Ten Conference. The season was the first since the renovation of...
by Michigan
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
quarterback Denard Robinson
Denard Robinson
Denard Xavier Robinson , nicknamed Shoelace, is an American football player who is playing his junior season for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team. He started at quarterback in all 13 games for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 2010...
on September 11, 2010. Kafka began the game by completing his first eight throws, which included a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Ebert. He was named the team's offensive player of the week after that game, along with being named the Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Kafka earned an ESPN College Gameday Helmet Sticker and was named an AT&T All-America Player of the Week candidate.
The next week, Kafka started in his second straight game against Ohio State
2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes football team competed in football on behalf of the Ohio State University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buckeyes were coached by Jim Tressel and played their home games in Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio...
, and passed for 177 yards while completing 18 out of 27 throws. He ran for 83 yards and a touchdown on 29 attempts. He ran for 300 yards in his two starts against Ohio State, which is the most by a Northwestern quarterback in successive contests. He was named the team's offensive big playmaker for the game.
Against Michigan
2008 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2008 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach was Rich Rodriguez. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan...
, he entered the game in Northwestern's second series on offense and rushed for 20 yards on three carries before he was forced to leave the game after suffering a concussion. He ran for one yard on three carries against Illinois
2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
The 2008 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois in the 2008–2009 college football season. The team's head coach was Ron Zook. The Illini played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois...
.
Kafka passed for 330 yards during the season along with two touchdowns on 32 completions and 46 total attempts. He finished second on the team in rushing with 321 yards.
2009 season
Kafka entered his senior season as Northwestern's2009 Northwestern Wildcats football team
The 2009 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten during the 2009–2010 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his fourth season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach. The Wildcats home games were played at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois...
starting quarterback after C. J. Bachér graduated. He was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's outstanding senior quarterback in college football. It was established in 1987 by a foundation named for Johnny Unitas , the Hall of Fame quarterback who played his college career at the University of...
watch list, along with 19 other players nationally, with two others in the Big Ten Conference. Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
quarterback Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
eventually won the award. In the offseason, he was tutored by offensive coordinator Mick McCall and former Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez
Brett Basanez
Brett Stephen Basanez is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Northwestern....
. Kafka was named co-captain for the 2009 season.
At home against Towson
Towson Tigers
The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 20 Division I athletic teams The Towson Tigers, formerly Towson College Knights, are the athletics teams of Towson...
on September 5 to start the 2009 season, Kafka threw for 192 yards on 15 completions of 20 attempts. He ran for six yards on six carries. Against Eastern Michigan
2009 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team
The 2009 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University in the college football season of 2009. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season...
at home on September 12, he threw for 158 yards and one interception on 14 completions out of 24 attempts. He ran for 21 yards on five runs. During the Syracuse
2009 Syracuse Orange football team
The 2009 Syracuse Orange football team represented Syracuse University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Orange was coached by Doug Marrone and played its home games in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. The Orange finished the season 4–8 and 1–6 in Big East...
game, Kafka set a school record for consecutive completions in a game with 16, breaking the 47-year-old record set by Tom Myers in 1962. He set a career-high in passing yards in a game by passing for 390 yards. His previous career-high was 192 yards in a game against Towson in the 2009 season opener. Kafka also ran for a three-yard touchdown and threw three touchdown passes along with an interception. He caught a receiving touchdown when he tossed a lateral to Andrew Brewer who threw it back to Kafka for a 24-yard touchdown. Kafka became the first Big Ten Conference player to score at least one passing, receiving and rushing touchdown in a game since Zack Mills
Zack Mills
Zachary Eric Mills is a former American football quarterback. He was an All-Big Ten selection and four-year starter at Penn State University...
from Penn State
2004 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2004 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2004 college football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.-Preseason:...
accomplished it on September 4, 2004 against Akron
Akron Zips football
The University of Akron Zips are a college football program representing the University of Akron that competes in NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference football...
. Kafka finished the game with 35 completions on 42 attempts. He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week on September 20 for his performance against Syracuse. Kafka passed for 309 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Minnesota
2009 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
The 2009 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team was the third under head coach Tim Brewster. They began play on September 5, 2009, at Syracuse, a member of the Big East Conference. On September 12, the Minnesota opened the new TCF Bank Stadium with a 20–13 win against Air Force, moving from the...
. He took four sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
and during a desperation drive to win the game, fumbled the football, which helped end the game. In the Purdue
2009 Purdue Boilermakers football team
The 2009 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 2009–2010 college football season. They played their home games at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. It was Danny Hope's first season as head coach following the retirement of Joe Tiller following the 2008...
game, Kafka went 28-of-44 and threw for 224 yards. He rushed for a season-high 39 yards on 18 carries and ran for the game-winning two-yard touchdown. After leading after the touchdown 25–21, Kafka threw a successful two-point conversion pass to Drake Dunsmore to increase the lead by six to win the game after Purdue failed to score on the final drive of the game. Kafka went 15 completions of 31 attempts for 191 yards and one interception to lead Northwestern to a 16–6 win over Miami (OH)
2009 Miami RedHawks football team
The 2009 Miami RedHawks football team represented Miami University in the college football season of 2009. They competed in the Mid-American Conference East Division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season...
. He was the leading rusher for Northwestern, rushing for 53 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. In the 24–14 loss at Michigan State
2009 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2009 Michigan State Spartans football team competed on behalf of the Michigan State University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Spartans were coached by Mark Dantonio, who was in his third season with the Spartans...
on October 17, Kafka went 34-for-47 and threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns. He was the leading rusher for the second straight week for Northwestern, rushing for 42 yards on 18 carries. In a come-from-behind win against Indiana
2009 Indiana Hoosiers football team
The 2009 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hoosiers were coached by Bill Lynch, who was in his third season season as head coach for the team. The Hoosiers played their home games in Memorial Stadium in...
, the Wildcats trailed 28–3 during the second quarter before Kafka ran for a one-yard touchdown and later passed for two touchdowns to lead Northwestern to a 29–28 win. The Wildcats overcame a 25-point deficit, which was the biggest comeback in school history. He went 26-of-46 and passed for 312 yards, along with two touchdowns and a career-tying three interceptions. He rushed for 65 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown. Kafka totaled 377 yards of total offense, which is second-best in his career. Against 12th ranked Penn State
2009 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2009 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the 2009 college football season. The team is coached by Joe Paterno and plays its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State had the highest graduation rate among all of...
, Kafka went 14-for-18 and passed for 128 yards, along with rushing for 42 yards on eight carries and a touchdown before leaving the game with a leg injury during the second quarter. He was replaced by Dan Persa
Dan Persa
Daniel Vaughn "Dan" Persa is an American football quarterback for the Northwestern Wildcats. He attended Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.-Recruitment:Persa committed to the Northwestern University on June 23, 2006...
. Kafka shared time at quarterback with Persa due to his strained hamstring on November 7 against the 4th-ranked, and previously undefeated, Iowa Hawkeyes
2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa and the Iowa Hawkeyes athletic program during the 2009 college football season. The team played its home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. 2009 marked Kirk Ferentz's 11th year as head coach of Iowa...
. Northwestern coming into the game was a 16-point underdog, but still beat Iowa 17–10 in Northwestern’s first win over a nationally-ranked top-ten team since they won against Ohio State
2004 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2004 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2004-2005. The team's head football coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games at Ohio Stadium. The team finished the season with a record of 8-4, and a Big Ten...
in 2004. Persa had to leave the game early to receive X-rays for a hand injury, which forced Kafka to play more than original planned. He finished as Northwestern’s leading passer with 72 yards on ten completions. Against Illinois
2009 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
The 2009 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois during the 2009–2010 college football season. The team's head football coach was Ron Zook. The Illini played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. This was Ron Zook's fifth season as the...
on November 14, Kafka threw for 305 yards and went 23-of-37, along with a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Zeke Markshausen
Zeke Markshausen
Zeke Robert Markshausen is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Northwestern....
. He rushed seven times for 12 yards and a one-yard touchdown to beat the Fighting Illini 21–16. Kafka threw for 300 or more yards for the fourth time this season. Against 16th-ranked Wisconsin
2009 Wisconsin Badgers football team
The 2009 Wisconsin Badgers football team competed on behalf of the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Badgers were coached by Bret Bielema and played their home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin...
on November 21, Kafka went 26-of-40 for 326 yards and two touchdowns, both to converted wide receiver Andrew Brewer. He rushed for 17 yards on seven carries to upset the Badgers with a 33–31 win. Kafka threw for 300 or more yards for the fifth time this season and for the second straight game. He was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Wisconsin.
Kafka ranked third in the Big Ten Conference in passing yards with 241.5 passing yards per game and he ranked second in total offense. He finished the season tied for first in the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with seven. His 65.7 completion percentage for 2009 ranked first in the Big Ten. His 414 pass attempts ranked third in the Big Ten and eighth among all quarterbacks nationally.
Kafka was named second-team All-Big Ten following the 2009 season. He was named first-team All-Big Ten by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
. He finished fourth in the Chicago Tribune's Silver Football
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
voting, given out to the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player, behind Brandon Graham
Brandon Graham (American football)
Brandon Lee Graham is an American football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft with the thirteenth selection in the draft and the first from the Big Ten Conference...
, Daryll Clark
Daryll Clark
Daryll Lawrence Clark is a football quarterback who is currently a member of the Chicago Rush. He was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League as an free agent in 2010. He played collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He is the Nittany Lions' all-time leader in...
and John Clay
John Clay (running back)
John Clay is an American football running back. He currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, practice squad, of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football for the University of Wisconsin–Madison football team...
.
Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese
Bob Griese
Robert Allen "Bob" Griese is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins...
said of Kafka that he "has the three qualities I look for. One, he's a good decision-maker, he knows when to throw the ball away. Two, he's accurate. Three, he makes plays. This is where Kafka really jumps out. If he has a playmaker downfield, he gets the ball to him."
Kafka graduated from Northwestern in December.
In the 2010 Outback Bowl
2010 Outback Bowl
The 2010 Outback Bowl was the 24th edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The game started at 11 AM US EST on Friday, January 1, 2010. The game was telecast on ESPN and matched Auburn University against Northwestern University...
against Auburn
2009 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2009 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers were led by first year head coach Gene Chizik...
on January 1, Kafka set the all-time bowl record with 47 completions and 78 passing attempts. He set Northwestern and Outback Bowl records with 532 passing yards, a career-high. He set an Outback Bowl record with five interceptions. He tied the Outback Bowl record with four touchdown passes. His 98 plays and 566 total yards were also Outback Bowl records. He threw four touchdown passes in the 38-35 loss that went to overtime, with two going to Andrew Brewer (39 and 35 yards), one to Drake Dunsmore for 66 yards, and one to Sidney Stewart for 18 yards. He finished second in rushing for Northwestern with 20 carries for 34 yards and a two-yard touchdown. He was named to ESPN.com
ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...
s All-Big Ten Bowl team as an honorable mention.
Kafka was named Northwestern's Most Valuable Player on offense following the season.
Kafka led the Big Ten in passing yards with 3,430 yards, total offense with 286.8 yards per game, completions with 24.5 per game, and fewest interceptions with 2.44 of all passes being intercepted. He was seventh nationally in completions, 16th in passing yards and 12th in total offensive yards.
His 3,430 passing yards are third-most in school history. His 3,729 total offensive yards are second-most in school history.
In the 2010 East–West Shrine Game
2010 East–West Shrine Game
The 2010 East–West Shrine Game was the 85th staging of the all-star college football exhibition game featuring NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision players. The game featured over 100 players from the 2009 college football season, and prospects for the 2010 Draft of the professional National...
on January 23, Kafka started at quarterback for the East squad and, despite a slow start, led the East squad to a comeback victory. On the final drive of the game, Kafka threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Andrew Quarless
Andrew Quarless
Andrew Christopher Quarless is an American football player for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He played college football at Penn State under Joe Paterno...
to win the game for the East squad, 13–10. After the game, Kafka was named Offensive MVP after he went 18-of-27, passed for 150 yards and threw the winning touchdown pass.
Statistics
Source:| Passing | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Yds | TD | Yds | TD | ||||||||||||||
| 2006 2006 Northwestern Wildcats football team The 2006 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Randy Walker died unexpectedly on June 29, 2006 of an apparent heart attack at the age of 52... | Northwestern Northwestern Wildcats The Northwestern Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Northwestern University, a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and the only private university in the conference. Northwestern has eight men's and eleven women's Division I sports teams. The mascot is Willie the Wildcat... | 4 | 5 | 93.5 | 96 | 55 | 57.3 | 494 | 1 | 5 | 48 | 263 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2007 2007 Northwestern Wildcats football team The 2007 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten Conference during the 2007–2008 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his second season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach... | Northwestern | 0 | 2 | 97.5 | 3 | 2 | 66.7 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2008 2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team The 2008 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten during the 2008–2009 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his third season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach... | Northwestern | 2 | 7 | 131.1 | 46 | 32 | 69.6 | 330 | 2 | 3 | 68 | 321 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2009 2009 Northwestern Wildcats football team The 2009 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the Big Ten during the 2009–2010 college football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his fourth season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach. The Wildcats home games were played at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois... | Northwestern | 13 | 13 | 129.25 | 492 | 319 | 64.8 | 3430 | 16 | 12 | 150 | 299 | 8 | 1 | 24 | 1 | |||
| Totals | 19 | 27 | 123.9 | 637 | 408 | 64.1 | 4265 | 19 | 20 | 268 | 891 | 11 | 1 | 24 | 1 | ||||
His win/loss ratio for his career as the starting quarterback for Northwestern was 11–8. He finished his career as the third all-time leading quarterback rusher at Northwestern with 887 yards rushing, and as the eighth all-time leading passer with 4,265 yards passing.
Pre-draft
Prior to the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, Kafka was projected to be drafted in the sixth round by NFLDraftScout.com and as high as the fourth round. He was rated as the eleventh-best quarterback in the draft. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald
-External links:*...
said that the theme that 85 NFL scouts, general managers and personnel directors who watched film or came to see a game or a practice said about Kafka was that he "throws a lot better than our No. 3 [quarterback] does right now." Fitzgerald also said that he would be "shocked" if Kafka was not drafted in the 2010 NFL Draft. After the Outback Bowl loss to Auburn on January 1, in which Kafka threw 78 passes for 532 yards, Fitzgerald said, "I hope the NFL sees the same thing that I see, a man with a big-time arm." An NFL general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
said at the 2010 Senior Bowl
2010 Senior Bowl
The 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl was an all-star college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2009 college football season, and prospects for the 2010 Draft of the professional National Football League , as well as for the United Football League's inaugural draft.The game was played...
that Kafka could be drafted as high as the third round.
Kafka was invited to the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, which started on February 24, along with teammates Corey Wootton
Corey Wootton
Corey A. Wootton is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Northwestern University. As a junior, he garnered first team All-Big Ten Conference honors...
and Sherrick McManis
Sherrick McManis
Sherrick Terravis McManis is an American football cornerback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Texans in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
. Kafka chose Mike McCartney of Priority Sports of Chicago as his agent, who also represents Wootton. Priority hired former Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Erik Kramer
Erik Kramer
William Erik Kramer , is a former American football quarterback. He attended John Burroughs High School in Burbank, CA. After attending Los Angeles Pierce College and playing as their quarterback, Kramer transferred to North Carolina State University where he finished a successful college football...
and a trainer in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
to help Kafka prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine. To prepare for the Combine, Kafka worked out twice a day in Arizona, and held practice sessions with Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
wide receiver Golden Tate
Golden Tate
Golden H. Tate III is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football and college baseball at Notre Dame.-Early years:Tate was born in...
. At the Combine, Kafka said, "I want to be an NFL starter. I'm not going to the league to be a No. 2. I think my whole game can go to another level. I'm ready to take it up another notch."
Kafka chose not to bench press at the NFL Combine. On February 28, Kafka answered 35 out of the 50 questions on the Wonderlic test, and was "99 percent sure" that he answered all 35 correctly. Draft analyst Mike Mayock
Mike Mayock
Michael Francis Mayock is a former professional football player, a safety with the New York Giants of the National Football League...
said that Kafka was "a developmental guy" who should stay on a team's practice squad for a year. Kafka had some of the best measurements in the vertical jump, broad jump, 60-yard shuttle, and three-cone drill among all quarterbacks.
At Northwestern's Pro Day on March 11, Kafka passed to his former teammates Andrew Brewer and Zeke Markshausen, and, according to Gil Brandt
Gil Brandt
Gil Brandt was a Vice President of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988.Brandt served as the Cowboys' chief talent scout since the club's birth in 1960. He had served as a part-time scout for the Los Angeles Rams under General Manager Tex Schramm in the 1950s...
, only missed one pass during the entire workout. 25 NFL teams attended the workout, including the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
Ken Zampese
Ken Zampese
Kenneth "Ken" Zampese is an American football coach. He began his coaching career in 1989 coaching for the University of San Diego. He is currently the Quarterbacks Coach for the Cincinnati Bengals...
and the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback coach Chris Miller.
Northwestern held its second Pro Day workout on March 29. He passed to his former teammates Brewer, Markshausen, and Brendan Mitchell during the workout. He was reportedly not as accurate on the second Pro Day as he was on the first, but still "very accurate." 24 NFL team representatives attended the Pro Day.
Kafka worked out for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
prior to the draft. Mike Mayock called Kafka the "sleeper" of the quarterback class, projecting him to be drafted in the sixth round. Mayock also said, "He's a really smart kid. Has a better arm than people think. I don't even think he's sleeping anymore. He was a month-and-a-half ago, but he's on the rise. He's a kid who could surprise people at the end of the day." Former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski
Ron Jaworski
Ronald Vincent "Ron" Jaworski is a former American football quarterback and currently an NFL analyst on ESPN. He is also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc., based out of Blackwood, New Jersey, and manages golf courses in southern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...
concurred, saying that Kafka "knows how to play the quarterback position. There's a real feel for hitting the open receiver, good anticipation. I can see him being one of those sleeper type guys." A scout before the draft said that Kafka "throws a lot of picks, but at least he's willing to pull the trigger. You don't see that from a lot of young kids."
2010
Kafka was selected by the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fourth round (122nd overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. He was the fifth quarterback taken in the draft, behind Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
(1st overall), Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
(25th overall), Jimmy Clausen
Jimmy Clausen
James Richard "Jimmy" Clausen is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-High school career:Clausen had an outstanding prep career...
(48th overall) and Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
(85th overall). Kafka was expected be the team's third-string quarterback behind Kevin Kolb
Kevin Kolb
Kevin Benjamin Kolb is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Houston....
and Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
. Eagles head coach Andy Reid
Andy Reid
Andrew Walter "Andy" Reid is the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, a post he has held since 1999. Since 2001, he has also been the team's executive vice president of football operations...
said of Kafka, "I think once you meet him, I think you'll see he's a smart guy. He has some of the intangible things - the leadership, he's a tough kid. Inner city, Chicago kid. He's got a little grit to him. I think that's important. You have to be wired right to handle you guys and play in the city of Philadelphia. I think he's wired right. He likes to compete." Kafka was signed to a four-year contract worth $2.256 million with $467,000 guaranteed on June 15, 2010.
In the final practice of rookie and selected veterans training camp on July 29, Kafka took all the snaps at quarterback after Kolb and Vick got practice off. After practice, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg
Marty Mornhinweg
Marty Mornhinweg is the offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles, having joined the Eagles in 2003 as the assistant head coach. He was named offensive coordinator on January 6, 2006, after the Eagles previous offensive coordinator Brad Childress was hired as the head coach of the...
said Kafka was "the best rookie that I've ever had in 15, 16, 17 years or something like that. So, he's really sharp. Now, he's sharp book-wise, but he's also very intelligent in a football sense. He's really picked [the playbook] up very quickly."
In the first preseason game on August 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars
2010 Jacksonville Jaguars season
The 2010 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the 16th season for the team in the National Football League. The Jaguars, who are in their second year of "rebuilding" under general manager Gene Smith, improved upon their 7–9 record from 2009, but narrowly missed the playoffs with an 8–8 record...
, Kafka went 3-for-7 for 76 yards and threw a 57-yard pass to wide receiver Chad Hall
Chad Hall
Chandler "Chad" Hall is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was signed by the Eagles as a street free agent in 2010...
after taking over for Vick late in the third quarter. Kafka began the second preseason game on August 20 against the Cincinnati Bengals
2010 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2010 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 41st season for the team in the National Football League , and their 43rd overall. The Bengals looked to improve on their 10–6 record in 2009, during which they swept the AFC North for the first time in team history and made the playoffs as division...
in the fourth quarter. He went 4-for-12 for 29 yards and two interceptions (both to cornerback Morgan Trent
Morgan Trent
Morgan Trent is an American football cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the National Football League. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 2005 to 2008...
) with a passer rating of 2.4. He also had one carry for 24 yards. On August 27 against the Kansas City Chiefs
2010 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2010 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st overall and the second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The team improved on its 4–12 record from 2009, and won their first AFC West division title...
, Kafka came into the game in the fourth quarter and went 9-for-13 for 93 yards and one touchdown. He led the Eagles on the winning drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Riley Cooper with 23 seconds left in the game to win, 20–17. In the final preseason game on September 2, Kafka replaced Vick during the second quarter and played for almost three quarters. He went 9-for-27 for 76 yards and an interception against the New York Jets
2010 New York Jets season
The 2010 New York Jets season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st season overall and the team's first season at New Meadowlands Stadium. The team improved on their 9–7 record from 2009 and reached the playoffs again. The Jets played their first pre-season game...
.
During the 2010 regular season and playoffs, Kafka was inactive as the team's third quarterback for all but five games. In week two Kafka was the backup to Vick against the Detroit Lions
2010 Detroit Lions season
The 2010 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 81st season in the NFL. It was Jim Schwartz's second season as head coach. The Lions spent most of the season at the bottom of their division, but with more division wins than the Vikings , the Lions ended up at 3rd place on the final day of the...
after Kolb suffered a concussion in week one against the Green Bay Packers
2010 Green Bay Packers season
The 2010 Green Bay Packers season was the 90th season in the National Football League for the Packers and the 92nd season for the team overall. With a record of 10–6, the Packers entered the playoffs as the NFC's sixth seed...
. In week five against the San Francisco 49ers
2010 San Francisco 49ers season
The 2010 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 65th season, and the second full year with Mike Singletary as the head coach. The 49ers were looking to build upon their 8–8 season in 2009 that ended their streak of seven consecutive losing seasons and to get into the postseason for the...
, week six against the Atlanta Falcons
2010 Atlanta Falcons season
The 2010 Atlanta Falcons season was the 45th season for the team in the National Football League. In 2009, the team posted consecutive winning seasons for the first time in franchise history, with a 9–7 record, but did not make the playoffs...
and week seven against the Tennessee Titans
2010 Tennessee Titans season
The 2010 Tennessee Titans season was the team's 41st season in the National Football League, their 51st overall and their 14th season in Tennessee...
, Kafka was the backup to Kolb after Vick, who took over as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, suffered a rib injury in week four against the Washington Redskins
2010 Washington Redskins season
The 2010 Washington Redskins season was the 78th season for the team in the National Football League , and their first under new head coach Mike Shanahan, who also began his term as the team's Vice President of Football Operations...
. In the week seventeen game against the Dallas Cowboys
2010 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2010 Dallas Cowboys season is the 51st season for the team in the National Football League, and the second season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium...
, Kafka was the backup quarterback to Kolb in a decision to rest Vick and the team's starters before the playoffs.
Kafka said of his rookie year that he "learned a lot about football. I learned a lot about being a professional, especially being around [Vick] and [Kolb]. Those guys have been great mentors, and obviously the coaching staff that I have has been really great as far as developing me to learn the west coast system
West Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
."
2011
Following the 2010 season, Kafka said that his goal for the 20112011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
offseason was to "continue to learn the offense. I haven't mastered it by any means, the more study and preparation I can get the better. Physically, I can work on my feet, my arm strength, and my timing and rhythm. There's a bunch of things I can work on, and I'm really excited to get to it." Eagles general manager Howie Roseman
Howie Roseman
Howard "Howie" Roseman is the general manager for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. , Roseman is the youngest general manager in the NFL.-Early years:...
said Kafka is the hardest working player in the NFL, but needs to get bigger and stronger. The Eagles reportedly received trade offers from other teams for Kafka prior to the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
but declined due to his potential. Kafka, in response, laughed and did not believe the rumors.
Because of the NFL lockout, Kafka and his teammates organized informal workouts in Marlton, New Jersey
Marlton, New Jersey
Marlton is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Evesham Township in Burlington County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population of Marlton was 10,260.-History:...
. After one of the workout sessions, Vick said Kafka was "ready for" the backup role and would embrace it should Kolb leave after the lifting of the lockout. Kolb was traded to the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on July 28 following the lifting of the NFL lockout
2011 NFL lockout
The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days...
, and Kafka was temporarily elevated to the backup behind Vick before the Eagles signed former Tennessee Titan
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
on July 29. Kafka took second-team reps at the start of training camp, but on the first official depth chart that was released on August 9, Kafka was listed as the third-stringer behind Young.
Against the Baltimore Ravens
2011 Baltimore Ravens season
The 2011 Baltimore Ravens season will be the 16th in the National Football League and city of Baltimore, Maryland, and the 14th to host home games at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens will seek to act upon their 12–4 record from 2010 and win the American Football Conference's North division title for...
in the preseason opener on August 11, Kafka replaced Young at quarterback during the second quarter and played into the fourth quarter. He went 13-of-19 for 132 yards with one interception thrown to Ravens safety Bernard Pollard
Bernard Pollard
Bernard Karmell Pollard is an American football safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
in the game. In the second week of the preseason on August 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers
2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season will be the team's 79th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League . It is expected to be the twelfth season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fifth under head coach Mike Tomlin...
, Kafka entered the game in the fourth quarter and led the Eagles to two scoring drives in a 24–14 loss. With less than four minutes remaining in the game, he threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Gerald Jones, and with only 19 seconds left on the following drive, threw a second touchdown pass to Jones for seven yards. He finished the game going 14-for-19 for 160 yards along with the two scores.
Personal
Kafka majored in communication studies at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. Mike's brother, Jason, is a redshirt sophomore quarterback at San Jose State
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
and attended St. Rita of Cascia High School. Both Kafkas were recruited by Ken Margerum, who is now an assistant at San Jose State.
Kafka worked as an instructor at former Northwestern teammate Brett Basanez
Brett Basanez
Brett Stephen Basanez is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Northwestern....
's prep quarterback development camps in Woodbury, Minnesota
Woodbury, Minnesota
Woodbury is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States, and is a suburb of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. It is situated east of Saint Paul along Interstate 94...
and Minnetonka, Minnesota
Minnetonka, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,301 people, 21,393 households, and 14,097 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,893.0 persons per square mile . There were 22,228 housing units at an average density of 818.9 per square mile...
, in mid-2011. Kafka worked at a Pop Warner Football
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Pop Warner Little Scholars is a non-profit organization that provides youth football, cheerleading, and dance programs for participants in 43 U.S. states and several countries around the world. It is headquartered in Langhorne, Pennsylvania...
passing camp, Three5Seven, with former Northwestern teammate Chris Malleo in July 2011.