Anytime a player faces his former team for the first time, the aspect of a “revenge game” is always discussed – and this week, for the Giants, it’s a coach in the spotlight, as defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale has to scheme against a Ravens offense he saw as their linebackers coach and then DC for the decade before coming to New York.
But for him, it’s not so much revenge, as it is a nice “homecoming” as the Giants host a lot of his old friends at MetLife on Sunday.
“It's different just for this reason: I have a lot of friends on that other sideline, a lot of people that have meant a lot to me in my life, and I have a deep love for a lot of people there,” Martindale said Thursday in his weekly media session. “(Ravens Owner) Steve Bisciotti took care of my family for 10 years. Obviously, John (Harbaugh) and I have coached together. I've coached with his dad, and I've known the family forever, he's like a brother. (Ravens General Manager) Ozzie Newsome was a mentor for me for 10 years and we helped build something that they're on their fifteenth year of doing right now.”
Martindale was the linebackers coach on the team that won Super Bowl XLVII, and spent the last four years as the DC before he and the team parted ways after last season – a split he says isn’t really acrimonious in any way.
“I think that it's just one of those things. I always believe that wherever you're at is where you're supposed to be,” Martindale said. “John and I had conversations way back before they made the announcement of about where we wanted to be and what we wanted to do. Like I said, we're family, John and I are. It was nothing negative, it was just time for both of us.”
And honestly, Martindale said, he’s actually re-energized by being tasked with rebuilding the defensive side of the Brian Daboll/Joe Schoen Giants.
“I knew there was going to be a lot of movement in the NFL, and it has reenergized me to go someplace new and try to build it again,” he said. “They’re in Year 15 in Baltimore, but the exciting part about coming here is it's year one. We've just got to stay with the process, where we're going, and how we're going to get there. It's just been a fun new challenge and it's reenergized me.”
Of course, just because he’s thrilled to be building a new defense in New York, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss Baltimore.
“I was happy and excited about the next chapter, but of course you're going to miss people. You miss people, you grow close to people. It's like my wife and I are originally from Ohio, our kids were born there, but Maryland's their home because we were there for 10 years,” Martindale said. “My granddaughter Gigi is still back there. I get FaceTimes now. Got called 'Pop-Pop' for the first time, that's a big thing, guys, in case you don't know.”
But, there’s no worry about emotion, because even with the long tenure in Baltimore, Martindale knows that this is just another game for his guys, who are the important part.
“I happened to be there for 10 years, which is a long time, but I was also in Oakland and Denver. We’re gypsies, and for coaches, that's just the way our profession is,” he said. “Is there a little competitive spirit in you when you go play a team you used to work for? Sure, there is. I'm not going to deny that. Everybody knows that. But as far as circling the game and everything else, this is just the next game.”
And now, after watching it in action for a few years, Martindale’s task is to stop Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore offense – and Martindale thinks it’s a greater challenge than one might assume given their familiarity.
“Shoutout to Lamar, I love the guy, and I think it’s another great challenge,” Martindale said. “I was with him when he won MVP back in ’19, and he is an unbelievable player. It's different sitting in the chair now instead of at practice when you're watching it. It's like I told (Outside Linebacker Coach) Drew Wilkins, all those times we were going against him, and a guy said, 'oh, I got him', because you've got to stay away from the quarterback, 'oh I had him'. We're going to find that out on Sunday, whether or not they got him or not. I know it's different, but it's the truth with him because not only could he beat you with his arm, which he's throwing the ball really well, but he can beat you with his legs, his mind, and everything else.
He's playing at a high level.”
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