EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – While all eyes were on the New York Giants defense as they stopped Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the final minutes on Sunday in London, Carter Coughlin’s were on his coach. He wanted to see how defensive coordinator Wink Martindale handled the situation.
Rodgers had the Packers down to the Giants’ 6-yard line. It was third-and-1 with 1:11 remaining, the Giants leading by seven. The game was on the line.
Martindale, perhaps New York’s biggest addition in an offseason when it did not have much money under the salary cap, called a play and stood stoically on the sideline.
The first-year Giants defensive coordinator called for a blitz, the pass was deflected by Kayvon Thibodeaux and almost intercepted. He called another blitz on fourth down, this time sending eight defenders after Rodgers. The pass was knocked down at the line of scrimmage by a leaping Xavier McKinney and all but ended the game in a 27-22 upset over the Packers.
New York’s sideline was jumping up and down. When the camera panned over, there was Martindale in the middle of it as if this was just another stroll on a Sunday afternoon.
“He’s confident as hell,” said Coughlin, a backup linebacker and special teams ace. “I was watching him during the game. … I was trying to pay attention, see if he was tapping his hand or had any nerves. Right when the game was coming down to it, he makes the call. He was just standing there cool as a cucumber. He’s just confident. Confident in his team, confident in his call, the preparation, all that stuff.
It’s part of why new coach Brian Daboll hired Martindale after former defensive coordinator Patrick Graham left for the Las Vegas Raiders in early February.
Martindale and the Baltimore Ravens had elected to part ways earlier in the year after 10 seasons together, the last four of which he spent as defensive coordinator. He guided the league’s top-ranked defense in 2018, and top-seven units the next two seasons before they fell off last year following an avalanche of injuries.
“It was nothing negative, it was just time,” Martindale said. “When I say it was just time, it was just time for both of us.”
Daboll happily pounced.
“He’s smart, and I just think he’s very prepared,” Daboll said. “And he’s composed on the sideline. As a playcaller that’s done it for some time myself, that’s not always the easiest thing to do when things aren’t going great.”
Martindale has been an invaluable addition to the 4-1 Giants. His defense hasn’t allowed more than 23 points in any of its five games this season.
‘Wink’s got all the swag’
Martindale was asked several weeks back if Thibodeaux, the rookie taken this year with the No. 5 pick, had a lot of swagger.
He responded: “So do I.”
Nobody blinked. His players agreed.
Swagger is a term you hear often about Martindale, which isn’t exactly what you’d expect from a 59-year-old, round-bellied man who routinely wears a shirt-sleeved hoodie over a tight white long-sleeved undershirt and has a mullet flowing out the back of his hat.
But this is a coach who once joined an interception celebration in Baltimore by pulling out the gold chain from underneath his sweatshirt and routinely wears a rare pair of Air Jordan sneakers. He estimates he has between 50 and 75 pairs of Jordans.
“Too many. My wife calls me Imelda Marcos,” he said, referring to the Filipina politician renowned for her massive shoe collection. “I have quite a bit. There are still some in Maryland.”
Martindale insists the Giants will get to see his chain if they produce two turnovers in a game. Despite their success, they are the only team in the NFL without an interception this season.
“Wink’s got all the swag,” middle linebacker Tae Crowder said. “He don’t panic at all when we’re on the field. That is a big sign of being very confident. On the fourth down, he’s just sitting there like he knew what was going to happen. Like he knew we were going to make a play.”
His players trust him. He trusts his players. It’s integral to Martindale being well-liked.
Defensive back Bennett Jackson considers Martindale the best defensive coordinator he’s had. Jackson spent eight years with the Giants, New York Jets and Ravens. He played for Martindale in 2018 and 2019 in Baltimore.
“Wink rewards hard work. If you’re going out there and making plays, whether it’s practice or whatever, he’s going to play you,” Jackson said. “ … He doesn’t beat around the bush.”
Players appreciate that Martindale is unapologetically himself. He’s going to let them know how he feels, good or bad, but he’s also going to accept their input.
“He’s a players’ coach,” veteran defensive lineman Nick Williams said. “He’s always going to ask his players what they want to do, how do we want to attack them. Then they go up in the office and make a plan that best fits us.”
Several veteran players noted his meetings are run differently than a lot of other teams. Instead of it being more teacher and student, it’s much more peer-driven. It’s more conversation than most.
“It’s not just him talking. Everybody is talking,” said cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2017 and spent four seasons there before joining the Giants in 2021. “He may say something to the D-line or if [secondary coach Jerome Henderson] hears something, he might say something out loud, or if we’re giving presentations in the room about people we played against, everyone will chirp in.”
The results speak volumes
It has not been all smooth sailing for the Giants early this season. The defense has played without defensive lineman Leonard Williams for three games, and outside linebackers Azeez Ojulari and Thibodeaux have each missed a pair of contests. Those arguably are New York’s three best pass-rushers.
Williams (knee) is likely to return Sunday against Baltimore while Ojulari (calf) remains in doubt. Thibodeaux will still be looking for his first career sack in his fourth career game.
Martindale has rotated players in and out of the lineup and still produced a top defense. The Giants entered this week ninth in the NFL, allowing 18.6 points per game.
Martindale has them sixth in third-down defense (31.15%) and seventh in the red zone (41.18%). He has an aggressive unit that blitzes at a 39% clip, second-highest in the NFL.
Martindale even took offense to a suggestion that he only blitzed 25% of the defensive plays in the opener against the Titans. It was perhaps even more animated than he was on those two late plays against the Packers.
“One thing I heard when I first got here, he said the coaches owe the players their composure,” Williams said.
So far, he’s given them that and more.