Newsstand: Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale drawing NFL interest
Tweets Of The Day
Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who’s entering his second season on the job, has received NFL interest, and he’s reciprocated to the point of taking multiple interviews. Martindale interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons Tuesday and, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, he will have discussions with the Indianapolis Colts Wednesday.
Before joining the Michigan staff ahead of the 2024 season, Martindale spent the previous 20 years in the NFL, including seven as a coordinator. He was most recently with the New York Giants.
More from The Wolverine’s Anthony Broome:
Martindale, the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football this season, led a unit that was 11th in the country in total defense, allowing 307.0 yards per contest. They were also 19th in scoring defense, allowing 19.9 points per contest.
Remarkably, the defense seemed to get better as the year went on despite injuries and depleted depth. Despite that, Martindale put himself into legendary status at Michigan with a pair of masterclasses to end the season. The Wolverines ended the regular season with a 13-10 victory at No. 2 Ohio State, who rebounded to advance to next Monday night’s College Football Playoff national title game vs. Notre Dame. The U-M defense followed it up with a 19-13 win over Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, where it forced three turnovers and held the Crimson Tide to 260 yards of total offense.
Martindale signed a three-year contract last winter, coming in at an average of $2.5 million over the duration with base salaries of $2.3 million in 2024, $2.5 million in 2025 and $2.7 million in 2026. Now into the second year of his contract, which began on Jan. 11, if he left for an NFC defensive coordinator job, he will owe U-M $350,000.
Michigan is tied atop the Big Ten, along with Michigan State. Both teams are 5-0. The Wolverines will take on Minnesota in Minneapolis Thursday night, while the Spartans will be in action tonight against Penn State in East Lansing.
Former Michigan outside linebacker John Spytek, the current assistant GM with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is scheduled for a second interview for the Las Vegas Raiders’ GM job this week.
Quote Of The Day
He likes what I can do on the field. He also likes me as a person, which is great. He always talks to me about life. It’s not always football. It was cool to hang out with him. It meant a lot. It shows I’m a top priority for him. It’s a great feeling. It made my day. I was super happy.”
— 2026 Michigan cornerback commit Brody Jennings on secondary coach LaMar Morgan
Headlines Of The Day
• EJ Holland, The Wolverine: Still locked in? On300 Michigan CB commit Brody Jennings shares latest after visit from LaMar Morgan
• Chris Balas, The Wolverine: Wink Martindale’s NFL Interviews: What Michigan Fans Need to Know About His Potential Departure
• EJ Holland, The Wolverine: Top 100 in-state OL Gregory Patrick talks visit from Sherrone Moore, Bryce Underwood, NIL, more
• Anthony Broome, The Wolverine: 6 thoughts on Michigan’s 6 RBs next season: Why Jordan Marshall is team’s next big star
• Clayton Sayfie, The Wolverine: Meet the transfer signees: A breakdown of Michigan’s 13 additions
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