Following an awkward ending to his New York Giants tenure, coach Wink Martindale is joining the Michigan Wolverines of the NCAA for their defensive coordinator position, according to the New York Daily News.
The reigning national champions will have now made two coaching changes in the past few weeks, with former head coach Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan to become the Los Angeles Chargers’ head coach earlier this month.
Martindale led a strong defensive unit for the Giants
Martindale was the Giants’ defensive coordinator for two seasons and created an identity for a Giants defense that consistently displayed strong results on the field. The 2023 Giants were tied for the league lead in takeaways with 31.
His departure from the Giants was filled with turmoil after head coach Brian Daboll announced that several changes were being made to the coaching staff. Those changes resulted in Martindale resigning from New York, and he was a big target for other teams that had both head coach and defensive coordinator openings.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Jacksonville Jaguars were among the teams that expressed interest in hiring Martindale.
The Giants replaced Martindale with Shane Bowen
The Giants have already found Martindale’s replacement for their defensive coordinator position, hiring former Tennessee Titans DC Shane Bowen earlier this week, according to ESPN.
As Martindale departs for a new endeavor, the Giants will hope that Bowen can maintain the team’s strong defensive play next season.
Adding Martindale is massive for Michigan
For Michigan, adding Martindale makes the best team in college football look even better. Not only will his defensive mindset make that unit exceptionally strong, but they’re also bringing in a guy with plenty of NFL experience and with a track record of successful defenses at the highest level of professional football.
An A+ signing for Michigan on paper, they will hope that Martindale’s success in the NFL will translate to the college landscape and possibly be a major contributor to another national championship.
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