Former Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is reportedly joining Michigan.

According to the New York Daily News, coach Wink Martindale is joining the Michigan Wolverines of the NCAA as their defensive coordinator after an unsatisfactory conclusion to his time with the New York Giants.

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.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the teams that shown interest in hiring Martindale, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Shane Bowen was Martindale’s replacement on the Giants.
According to ESPN, the Giants hired Shane Bowen, a former defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, earlier this week, to take Martindale’s spot as defensive coordinator.

The Giants will be hoping that Bowen can continue the team’s excellent defensive play in the upcoming season as Martindale leaves for a new project.

Martindale is a huge addition for Michigan.
Martindale’s addition to Michigan enhances their status as the top collegiate football squad. He will not only bring in a person with a wealth of NFL experience and a proven track record of great defenses at the highest level of professional football, but his defensive attitude will also make that unit incredibly powerful.

On paper, Martindale is an A+ recruit for Michigan, and they are hoping that his NFL success will carry over to the collegiate ranks and perhaps even play a significant role in another national championship.