Martindale, 58, is a 35-year coaching veteran, including 17 in the NFL. He spent the previous 10 seasons on the Baltimore Ravens' coaching staff, the last four as defensive coordinator. He joined the team in 2012, the season Baltimore won Super Bowl XLVII, and was the team's inside linebackers coach through the 2015 season. He was the team's linebackers coach from 2016-17. Martindale was also the Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator in 2010.
"Wink is a very good communicator, has a good personality, is energetic and very passionate about the way his defense needs to play," coach Brian Daboll said. "Another good teammate."
Martindale's defenses are known for their aggressive disposition and frequent and creative blitzing. His unit ranked in the top three in the NFL in points allowed each of his first three seasons, and first, fourth and seventh, respectively, in yardage yielded while never finishing higher than eighth against the run or the pass.
In his first season as coordinator in 2018, the Ravens yielded an NFL-low 292.9 yards-per-game and established a modern-era mark by not allowing a second-half touchdown in the first six games. The last team to do so was the 1934 Detroit Lions.
Martindale's 2019 defense ranked fourth in the league by allowing 300.6 yards a game and the unit's six touchdowns tied for the second most in franchise history and tied Tampa Bay for the NFL's highest total that season.
The 2020 Ravens allowed the NFL's second-fewest points (18.9 a game) and seventh-fewest yards (329.8).
In 2021, the Ravens defense was decimated by injuries. Despite that, Martindale's unit still led the NFL against the run, allowing 84.5 yards a game. But with a ravaged secondary, the Ravens were 32nd in pass defense, giving up 278.9 yards a game. Overall, Martindale's first defense out of the top seven finished 25th, allowing 363.4 yards a game. Baltimore was third in the league in third down defense, as their opponents converted only 34.8% of their opportunities (70 of 201).
In Martindale's first three seasons as coordinator (2018-20), Baltimore permitted both the league's fewest points (18.2) and total yards per game (307.8) and tied the Los Angeles Rams with 12 defensive touchdowns.
Martindale entered the NFL in 2004 as the Oakland Raiders' inside linebackers coach, a position he held for two years. He was the team's linebackers coach from 2006-08.
In 2009, he joined the Broncos as their linebackers coach and was their coordinator the following season.
Martindale began his coaching career in 1986 at Defiance College, his alma mater. He coached at the high school level from 1988-93 before joining the Notre Dame staff as a defensive assistant. He also coached at the University of Cincinnati, Western Illinois and Western Kentucky.
In 2020, Martindale interviewed for the Giants' head coach vacancy that went to Joe Judge.
