Imago
December 8, 2025, Owings Mills, Md, United States: Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh addresses the media Monday, Dec 8, 2025. Harbaugh says he and other members of the organization had conversations with NFL officials about controversial calls in Baltimore s loss to Pittsburgh. Owings Mills United States – ZUMAm67_ 20251208_zaf_m67_005 Copyright: xKarlxMertonxFerronx
Imago
December 8, 2025, Owings Mills, Md, United States: Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh addresses the media Monday, Dec 8, 2025. Harbaugh says he and other members of the organization had conversations with NFL officials about controversial calls in Baltimore s loss to Pittsburgh. Owings Mills United States – ZUMAm67_ 20251208_zaf_m67_005 Copyright: xKarlxMertonxFerronx
John Harbaugh arrived in New York and brought several of his assistants from Baltimore with him to the New York Giants. One notable exception, however, is Don “Wink” Martindale, despite their decade-long working relationship. Even so, Martindale has made it clear that he remains open to reuniting with Harbaugh.
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“I’d love to finish up, you know, with John. I’d love to come back to the Giants,” Martindale said on the Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard podcast. “College? Not doing it. Not doing it. I’m retired from college football. You can have that. But the pros, specifically the Giants, I can. You know, they got a great coordinator (Wilson), and he’s going to do great things there for, you know, for the Giants. He’ll probably be a head coach in two years, so maybe there is that opportunity.”
Wink Martindale on a potential return to the Giants:
“I’d love to finish up, you know, with John. I’d love to come back to the Giants. … I’m retired from college football. You can have that. But the pros, specifically the Giants, I can.”
(Via Pat Leonard, Talkin’ Ball) pic.twitter.com/Vqe8MA4S6k
— Big Blue Film Room (@BigBlueFilmRoom) April 10, 2026
Martindale’s history with the Harbaugh family provides important context. Before working under John, he had worked with his father, Jack Harbaugh, at Western Kentucky. That connection extended into the NFL, where he spent years with the Baltimore Ravens under John Harbaugh before later joining the Giants, the same franchise Harbaugh now leads.
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Despite that background, Harbaugh did not bring Martindale onto his current staff ahead of the 2026 season. Looking back, Martindale first joined Harbaugh’s staff in 2012 as linebackers coach, where he helped develop players like C.J. Mosley (earned four Pro-Bowl nods) and worked alongside Ray Lewis during Lewis’s final NFL season, which ended with a Super Bowl win.
That tenure led to his promotion as defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021. Following the 2021 season, the Ravens and Martindale mutually parted ways, after which he joined the Giants under Brian Daboll. However, that stint was marked by a strained relationship, ultimately leading to another mutual separation.
Now, the situation has shifted again. Daboll is no longer in place, and Martindale has stepped away from college football after serving as defensive coordinator at Michigan this past couple of seasons. Despite being available, he was not part of Harbaugh’s initial staff construction in New York.
Instead, Harbaugh has leaned on other familiar names. Dennard Wilson has been brought in as the defensive coordinator, having previously worked under him in Baltimore. Chris Horton joins as special teams coordinator and assistant head coach, while Donald D’Alesio and Dennis Johnson have also reunited with him on the defensive staff.
For now, Martindale’s return remains uncertain. What is clear, though, is his willingness to rejoin Harbaugh, even within a franchise where his previous tenure ended on uneven terms.
When Don Martindale left the Giants after a rocky relationship with Brian Daboll
With Brian Daboll as head coach and Don Martindale as defensive coordinator, the Giants’ defense ranked 27th in the 2023 season. As that unfolded, reports surfaced that Martindale and Daboll had a strained working relationship, with some describing the situation as being in a “bad place.”
The situation escalated further when the Giants dismissed two of Martindale’s closest staff members, the Wilkins brothers. Drew Wilkins, the outside linebackers coach, and his brother Kevin Wilkins, a defensive assistant, were both let go.
Following that decision, tensions reportedly peaked. According to ESPN, Martindale confronted Daboll during a meeting in January 2024, voiced his frustration, then left the room, slammed the door, and exited the building before heading home.
That reaction was closely tied to his professional history with the Wilkins brothers. Both had joined the Giants alongside Martindale from the Ravens. And Drew Wilkins was viewed as his right-hand man within his coaching structure.
As reports of internal friction continued to build and the staff changes took effect, speculation around Martindale’s future intensified. The situation moved toward an expected departure, which became official on January 10, 2024, when both sides agreed to part ways.
Now, the context has shifted. Martindale has expressed openness to returning to the Giants, but under a different structure. If that scenario materializes, it would be under John Harbaugh rather than Daboll.
