Martindale informed he is out of running for Colts job
PHOENIX — Brian Daboll got a bigger win this week than his Coach of the Year award.
Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale was informed on Friday that he is no longer a candidate for the Indianapolis Colts head coaching job, a source confirmed to the Daily News.
Bringing Martindale back is critical in Daboll’s effort to build on an encouraging first season.
The 2022 Giants defense ranked fifth in the NFL in third-down defense (35.1% conversion rate) and fifth in red zone defense (49.2% TD rate). Those were improvements on last season’s 16th-ranked third-down defense (39.8%) and ninth-ranked red zone defense (52.1%).
The Giants defense blitzed opposing QBS on a league-high 44.7% of pass dropbacks this season, meaning they sent five or more rushers on nearly half of their passing snaps.
Priorities to upgrade the Giants’ defensive personnel this offseason will include corners, inside linebackers and defensive line depth to bolster Martindale’s aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme.
Daboll isn’t out of the woods yet in trying to keep his staff intact, though.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was still deep in the mix for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching vacancy on Friday as a finalist alongside Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
Daboll made a change to his staff this week, too.
The Giants parted ways unexpectedly with special teams quality control coach Nick Williams, according to sources. Williams worked three years for the Giants: two on Joe Judge’s staff as an offensive assistant and one for Daboll.
He is a good, young coach who has a bright future.
Daboll NFL’S top coach: Daboll was named the NFL’S Associated Press Coach of the Year on Thursday night for guiding the Giants to their first playoff berth since 2016 in his rookie year. Daboll accepted the award at the NFL Honors awards ceremony in Arizona during the buildup to Eagles-chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday.
Daboll took over a franchise that was 22-59 in the previous five seasons, buried by years of front office mismanagement.
He led the Giants to a 9-7-1 record and made the playoffs. Then he defeated the Minnesota Vikings on the road in the Wild Card round for the club’s first playoff win since the 2011 season.
Daboll (16 first place votes, 123 total votes) won a close race ahead of the 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan (12, 100) and the Jaguars’ Doug Pederson (five, 75). The Bills’ Sean Mcdermott (seven, 48) and the Eagles’ Nick Sirianni (six, 45) rounded out the top five.
Daboll’s Giants went only 1-5-1 in the NFC East including the postseason and 4-7-1 in their final 12 games. But it did not undo the momentum of a 7-2 start that included a four-game winning streak over the Bears, Packers (in London), Ravens and Jaguars (road).
Daboll, a cigar aficionado, earned the right to light one more up on Thursday night in the desert.