Former Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale is making his return to the school sport after twenty years within the NFL.
Martindale’s coaching career started with two seasons at his alma mater, Division III Defiance School, as this system’s defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 1986 and 1987. Martindale then labored with 4 completely different Division I groups from 1994-2003, holding numerous titles.
The 60-year-old’s first NFL gig was with the then-Oakland Raiders from 2004-08, serving because the group’s inside linebackers coach for 2 years after which linebackers coach for 3 seasons. Martindale was the Denver Broncos linebackers coach in 2009 and held his first NFL defensive coordinator job with the Broncos in 2010.
He joined John Harbaugh’s Ravens forward of their Tremendous Bowl-winning 2012 marketing campaign as the within linebackers coach, held that place for 4 seasons after which was the linebackers coach for 2016 and 2017. Martindale was Baltimore’s defensive coordinator for 4 years from 2018-2021 because the unit completed second in factors per sport allowed in 2018 and 2020 and third in 2019.
He was the Giants defensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023, earlier than their messy breakup final month.
Per Austin Meek of The Athletic, Martindale is thought for “an aggressive, blitz-heavy type that differs from the model of the Ravens protection Michigan ran with (Mike) Macdonald and (Jesse) Minter.”
Martindale had been rumored to be within the combine for numerous NFL defensive coordinator or head-coaching positions since his departure from “Large Blue.” There was chatter this week that he was being thought-about for an interview because the Dallas Cowboys subsequent defensive coordinator.