Wink Martindale is eyeing a return to the NFL after a messy split with the Giants and is set for interviews with several teams.
He’s got interviews lined up with the Falcons and Colts, and maybe even the Bengals. Martindale, who’s 61, is meeting with Atlanta on Tuesday and Indianapolis on Thursday.
Things got pretty heated when he left the Giants. He had a big blowup with head coach Brian Daboll after finding out his buddy Drew Wilkins was getting fired. That led to a messy split, and now he’s back in college football for the first time in over 20 years.
While Michigan didn’t have the best season, Martindale’s defense did hold some tough teams like Ohio State and Alabama to low scores.
Now, it’s not surprising that NFL teams are interested in him again, especially since his issues with the Giants were more about style than strategy. He had a solid run as a defensive coordinator with the Ravens and Giants before heading to Michigan.
The Falcons, Colts, and Bengals all struggled defensively this past season, so they’re looking for a change. The question is whether Martindale wants to leave Michigan, where he’s said he’s happy coaching.
He even took a jab at Daboll, saying he prefers being where he is now compared to some teams that are struggling. The Giants had a rough year defensively, and their owner wasn’t too pleased with the performance.
It’ll be interesting to see if Martindale makes the jump back to the NFL or stays put in college.
