The New York Giants are not exactly the picture of stability right now. Brian Daboll and Daniel Jones are both underperforming in their two extremely important roles, and the offseason parting with of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has failed to turn things around for this 2-7 franchise.
Martindale and the organization seemingly were at odds with one another, and things came to a head when Daboll and the staff made the change in January. Wink managed to land on his feet, taking the defensive coordinator at Michigan after Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL.
While the Wolverines aren't exactly white-hot this season, Martindale, who served as Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator for four seasons prior to joining the Giants, is loving his time in Ann Arbor. He has no intention of saying anything positive about the Giants, even getting in a few sneaky disses at his old team.
When asked if he could see himself coaching in college for the forseeable future, Martindale said that he's "glad" to be with Michigan and implies that his situation is "a lot better than being in some places that are 2-7." Safe to say Wink may not be welcome back at MetLife anytime soon,
Asked Wink Martindale if he could see himself coaching in college for the long haul. “I’m glad I’m here,” he said. “I love the players we have … It’s a lot better than being in some places that are 2-7.”
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) November 6, 2024
Wink Martindale takes shot at NY Giants after 2-7 start
To be fair to Daboll, the defense is not the problem. New coordinator Shane Bowen has done a passable job, and Dexter Lawrence is so good at the defensive tackle spot that he may have become the best in the game at this position. The defensive line has been the brightest spot on this roster.
The big issues on this team lie away from Martindale. With Jones regressing and Daboll failing to take this offense to the next level, Martindale could have been in for another successful season as a coordinator if he stayed with New York.
While going to college after decades in the pros may not seem like a massive victory, Martindale is now free to coach defense without the interpersonal drama that has become a staple of the Mara Family's organization. This has given the former Giants assistant a new lease on life as a coach.