Tomorrow Don "Wink" Martindale turns 60.
In January, the Giants almost lost Wink to a Head Coaching job opportunity in Indy.
Wink actually asked that his name be dropped from consideration when owner Jim Irsay said that taking the top job was subject to Wink keeping DC Gus Bradley and DB coach Ron Milus-quite a break for the Giants.
Seeing the value of Martindale to the current Giants team, it certainly appears that the Administration has gone out of their way to keep Wink happy with player additions:
In the opening hours of free agency- DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches was signed. He was certainly a name not discussed often in the media, but Schoen said before the start of free agency that he working to find players that fit what Martindale wanted for his D.
Shortly thereafter, we learned that the Giants were putting the bulk of their free agent dollars into LB Bobby Okereke, an obvious team need, and while several highly valued linebackers (including the Bills Tremaine Edmunds) were available, the Giants wanted Okereke-certainly following input from Wink.
Though Calais Campbell signed with the Falcons, he indicated when interviewed that he was also being pursued by the Giants. Remember that Campbell had played for Wink in Baltimore-another indication that Schoen was trying to add players that Wink wanted.
Lesser known DBs Amani Oruwariye and Bobby McCain were also signed as free agents-both described as players that would fit well in a Martindale defense.
For all Giants fans, the excitement of A'Shawn Robinson meeting with the team brought hope-and then nothing. But Schoen then surprised everyone when just prior to the draft, Robinson was signed to become another crucial fit to Martindale's defense.
Next came the draft, and Joe Schoen has told us that his back still hurts from the bear hug he got from Martindale when Deonte Banks was signed. All told, the Giants used 4 of their 7 draft picks on defense, with each player being described as a "perfect fit" for a Martindale D.
Clearly the Giants are doing everything possible from a player standpoint to give Martindale the defense he wants.
But what about other incentives to keep Wink a Giant? Most coaches sign for 2 year contracts. Though the Giants rarely discuss coaches contracts, is it possible that Wink has been extended another year? Or perhaps a raise based on his 2022 success.
Surely every NFL coach has desires to eventually become a Head Coach. But Wink will be 60 tomorrow. He has quickly become loved by Giants fans throughout the NY area. Joe Schoen has responded to Wink in an overwhelming way, as I have listed all the player adds to the D.
There is little doubt that some day the Giants will lose Mike Kafka to another team as their head coach. With Daboll and the experienced current staff already on Offense, the team can manage that lose.
But a loss of Martindale (who would probably take LB coach Drew Wilkins with him) would be a serious setback.
Let's hope that the Giants have done what fans don't see (salary and contract term) adjusted in a way that will keep Wink in NY for the rest of his years as an NFL coach. There is no question Schoen has done everything possible to provide him the type of players he coveted.
Hoping more has gone on that we haven't heard about that keeps him here long term.
Happy 60th Birthday Coach !!
If Wink has the guys he needs to win on early downs, I think we'll see a really competent D this year. Once Banks gets his feet under him later in the year, this D has a chance to be really special.
Are we pigeonholing ourselves to hire a new DC that runs a similar system as Wink, or do we hire the best candidate and need to shift again next year to retooling a defense that fits what the new DC wants?
Another Wilkins point, his brother is also now assisting with coaching the D.
JS said he had to make adjustments this past draft from his first one based on the coaches input. Hopefully good things translate to the field.
With his background with ILB's it would be great to have two studs manning those spots.
If healthy, I'm hopeful they will be a top 10 D.
JJ was a disaster, but there's no guarantee Wink will be a good head coach. He might have flamed out too. Ya never know...
I would love to keep Daboll and Wink together.
With a full compliment of players, Wink can produce a top 5 defense!
If Wink is gone next year, a new coordinator will be able to make use of a 3-down outside linebacker, 3-down inside linebacker, an IDL who can play both techniques, and a corner who displayed comfort in press and zone in college.
Schoen has done a good job of filling in the blanks with low risk, low investment players. And looks like his plan is to refresh that each year.
I'd be surprised if Wink gets a HC job. A 60+ year old defense first guy getting his first HC gig at that age seems like a longshot. Hopefully he gets a 5+ year run in NY as an elite and highly paid d-coordinator.
I would love to keep Daboll and Wink together.
With a full compliment of players, Wink can produce a top 5 defense!
AHC is a largely meaningless title (unless it means something to Wink personally). If they want to make a grand gesture to Wink in order to keep him, they can just keep reminding themselves that the coaching staff salaries do not count against the cap.
Agreed - the Giants have shown that they'll pay up good money to retain good coaches.
They've also shown they'll pay up even more money to get rid of bad coaches, but that's a separate conversation!
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most likely his best and last chance at a HC jon, imo..Spags was young at the time, but iirc, he was paid one of the highest DC salaries in the league. The Giants will hqve no problem coughing up the big bucks if necessary, imv
Agreed - the Giants have shown that they'll pay up good money to retain good coaches.
They've also shown they'll pay up even more money to get rid of bad coaches, but that's a separate conversation!
😂
Wink seems wise enough to know that being a DC in a place where you get to run your D and like your HC and GM has a real value. And, as Parcells famously said it seems like they are “letting him shop for some of the groceries”
I’m not saying he won’t leave - but both his options and worthy situations are less likely as time passes.
Him staying here makes a lot PD sense.
Which would he prefer?
Bringing the Giant's defense back to old glory in the NYC market will provide many endorsement opportunities and he will be well compensated by the organization.
Giant fans love a gteat defense.
Which would he prefer?
Bringing the Giant's defense back to old glory in the NYC market will provide many endorsement opportunities and he will be well compensated by the organization.
Giant fans love a gteat defense.
I think being a DC for a great organization with plenty of history (especially on the defensive side of the ball) is alluring, and probably helps Wink be that much more selective about opportunities. But I think you're kidding yourself if you think that even the best DC gig on the planet would be on the same level as a HC opportunity with a stable organization (though to be fair, most of the HC spots that open up are with dysfunctional teams, obviously).
These guys are intense competitors, and I think that tends to carry over to their own ambition also. Wink may be very happy as DC of the Giants, but I don't think he'll ever stop considering HC opportunities until the opportunities themselves dry up, especially if HC has ever been his aspiration.
I like the sound of that! I don't want to project too much but I think we all can see that possibility.
Selfishly, I like Wink right where he is for all the reasons we discuss. Selfishly, I hope he feels that being a critical part of a team with great synergy, is better than being the boss of a pile of crap.
Wink's defense this past season was no great shakes, but I feel like he was still trusting the players to do their jobs.
Maybe, but one year in and he took the first HC interview that presented itself, so even if his original intent wasn't a stepping stone, he doesn't seem resistant to it.
I think Wink would very much like to be a HC if the right situation arose, and is simultaneously very content to be a highly respected DC with a good franchise that treats him well (especially every other Thursday).
But the idea that he has no aspiration or desire to be a HC went out the window when he interviewed with Irsay. That said, Wink also did withdraw from that search, so that's what tells me that he remains interested in becoming a HC, but only if the opportunity was worth it and on his own terms.
I was most excited for that system that just seems to churn out good D after D replacing players along the way. I hope that process is learned well by the Giants if he goes.
Are we pigeonholing ourselves to hire a new DC that runs a similar system as Wink, or do we hire the best candidate and need to shift again next year to retooling a defense that fits what the new DC wants?
No, he's actually made the opposite clear since he's been here.
"Wink Martindale was in the coaches’ meeting room at Giants headquarters interviewing for the defensive coordinator position in February when he was summoned to meet with general manager Joe Schoen.
Martindale left his cellphone on the meeting room table when he stepped out. It rang, and Giants defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson couldn’t help but notice the caller ID featuring the name of a head coach from another team in the market for a defensive coordinator.
A few minutes passed and another call came from the head coach, who presumably had gotten wind Martindale was interviewing with the Giants and wanted to make his pitch before anything was finalized. When Giants head coach Brian Daboll returned to the room, Henderson made him aware of the competition to hire Martindale, who had already made a strong impression.
“I see his phone is blowing up. I told Daboll,” Henderson said. “And then it’s ringing again, and I was like, ‘You better do something quick.’”
The Giants didn’t waste any time. Daboll made an offer, Martindale accepted and neither has looked back.
Daboll didn’t hesitate, and the Giants gave Martindale a three-year contract, a year longer than the typical coordinator deal."
So, right from the start, Wink had a 3 year contract with the Giants.
To be fair, considering the LBs we were running out there last year, I don’t think Dom Capers or Belichick or any of the best DCs ever could have solved the LB pass coverage weakness last year.
Let’s see how we do with Okereke and hopefully overall better talent at LB this year. All the best schemes in the world will fail without the players capable of executing
If Winks defense reminds you of Patrick Grahams defense you’re watching football wrong.
They literally couldn’t be any more different. Polar opposites.
One reason I liked the Wink hire (at least much preferred over previous head scratching DC hires) is hiring him is a bit of zigging while everyone is zagging. The rest of the league is fighting over trendy young coaches scraps while we basically get the pick of the litter of the old fart coaches.
A personal issue that I like to address is one somebody says of a player : “He’s Wink’s kind of guy .” That usually means long corners who can Bogart and turn without penalties . Well who likes short , slow corners ? Who likes inside linebackers who can’t move across the field ? Who likes fat slob defensive tackles who get blown out against the run? That characterization has always bugged me . When you say the Giants are getting Wink’s kind of players , what that means , hopefully , is that they are good players . Football is football. Everybody is looking for the same qualities .
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a lot of the stuff he's emphasized has rubbed me the wrong way. His emphasis on pressures and scheme reminds me too much of Dave Gettleman and his positionless defense of the amoeba defense of Patrick Graham, which has its shortcomings. Also, can he solve the linebackers' problems in pass coverage?
If Winks defense reminds you of Patrick Grahams defense you’re watching football wrong.
They literally couldn’t be any more different. Polar opposites.
Funny thing; a lot of talk about Wink's defense was also applied to Graham's when he arrived and others extolled: blitzing, emphasis on defensive backs, being multiple.