ˈæftɚ sˈɜːvɪŋ æz ɐn ɐsˈɪstənt æt vˌɪlɐnˈoʊvə ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈoːɹ, kˈævɐnˌɔː wʌz hˈaɪɚd baɪ ðə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk dʒˈaɪənts ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈaɪv æz ˈɛndz kˈoʊtʃ ænd kəntˈɪnjuːd ɪn ðæt pəzˈɪʃən ʌntˈɪl nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti.
After serving as an assistant at Villanova in 1954, Kavanaugh was hired by the New York Giants in 1955 as ends coach and continued in that position until 1970.