Getty Don Martindale looks on during a Ravens game.
The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the best teams in the NFL for the last few seasons, and as a result, their staff might finally start to get looks for other jobs.
Recently, both Ravens coordinators have been mentioned as candidates across the league, and that could be the case again this offseason. Recently, on Good Morning Football, host Peter Schrager was asked to name some under-the-radar candidates from the league that could get jobs this cycle. As he explained, Baltimore’s Don ‘Wink’ Martindale was his selection thanks to all he’s done.
Several teams will be interviewing HC candidates over the next few weeks. @PSchrags & @MikeGarafolo present four names who’ll get interviews & might be your team’s next HC.
–@Buccaneers DC Todd Bowles
–@Panthers OC Joe Brady
–@Titans OC Arthur Smith
–@Ravens DC Wink Martindale
Schrager said:
“I know the Ravens aren’t the same runaway team they were last year, but Wink’s defense has dealt with a lot and they continue to play and show up. Wink goes with the players. The players love him. Not a young 30 year old up and comer, but Wink Martindale has the players’ attention, he motivates them and he interviewed really well last year. You add in the stuff with Calais Campbell, with Brandon Williams and all the COVID-19 stuff which has completely ravaged the defense, the fact that the Ravens are still playing relevant football in spite of all that is a credit to Wink Martindale.”
Last season, Martindale interviewed for the job with the New York Giants, but was passed over in the cycle for Joe Judge. This year, it might be tougher for the Ravens to hold onto their coordinator given the experience he has and what he’s done with the Ravens. As a result, watch him in this cycle closely.
Ravens 2020 Defense Impressive
Martindale’s defense was great in 2019, when they were a top group in the league. They were rated the third ranked defense in terms of total yards allowed (300.6), the sixth defense in terms of passing yards per-game (207.2), and the fifth ranked rush defense in the league with 93.4 yards per-game. In 2020, things have slowed down a bit, but not much for Martindale’s group.
Baltimore is once again a top 10 unit overall this season, and are only allowing 343 passing yards per-game and 109 rushing yards per-game. They’ve also allowed a solid 20.5 points per-game, one of the stingiest totals in football this season. The team has also developed breakout stars such as Marlon Humphrey, Patrick Queen and others. All of those factors are major feathers in the cap for Martindale and his prospects of becoming a coach somewhere.
Don Martindale Career Biography
After growing up in Ohio, Martindale started on the long path to the NFL in 1986 starting his career at Defiance College as the defensive coordinator. He had worked as a truck driver and caught a break when he got to work closely with Jack Harbaugh at Western Kentucky from 2000-2003. After that, Martindale got his big break into the NFL, and managed to work with the Oakland Raiders as a linebacker coach, then bounce to the Denver Broncos where he did the same thing before taking over as defensive coordinator in 2010. The Ravens hired him to coach linebackers in 2012, and he did that until he took over as defensive coordinator in 2018.
Martindale oversaw a Baltimore defense which was near the top of the league in several statistical categories last season and took the lead in helping their offense along to an impressive run of games. Along with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Martindale formed a solid pairing for John Harbaugh which led to the Ravens being one of the best teams in the league most of last season.
Following the year, plenty of teams reached out to Martindale for head coaching interviews, but he was eventually passed over in the process, and remained with the Ravens for another season.
At 56, Martindale has been a football lifer, and the next step is him possibly becoming a head coach. According to those in the know, that could now happen sooner rather than later.
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