By Joe Schiller
With the overwhelming success of the Ravens this season comes praise for John Harbaugh and his coordinators. Baltimore has excelled on both sides of the ball, prompting potential head coaching rumors for Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman and Defensive Coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale.
When asked about his reaction of being included in potential candidates Martindale said it would take a "dream-type" job to leave Baltimore.
"[W]e love this city," Martindale said. "We love our organization here. It would have to be a dream-type job to take, where you know you can build the winning culture that we have here. And that's huge in making a decision like that, going from a coordinator to a head coach."
Martindale, who took over DC duties last season, led the Ravens to the No. 1 overall defense in 2018. Since Week 4 and numerous defensive additions, Baltimore ranks fifth in overall defense.
Martindale is said to be a player's coach, and a descendant of the Ryan brothers. He's an aggressive-minded DC who earns rave reviews from his players.
As the NFL continues to transition to an offensive league, Martindale dismisses the notion that a head coach needs to be centered around one area.
"I think that people get put in boxes. I don't think there's such a thing as an offensive head coach or a defensive head coach or a special teams head coach. Look at our head coach. He's the head coach, and he's built that culture. I think that's key. The only time you get on those lists is when your players … It goes back to the game always has been, always will be, about the players. That's how you get on those lists, because our guys have done a great job this year."
In the case of the Ravens, Harbaugh was a former Special Teams Coordinator. He's built a stronge culture, surrounded by talented coordinators in Roman and Martindale on both sides of the ball.
Both coordinators will get interviews, and there's a strong chance one leaves this offseason. But Martindale's comments allude that he values the city and the organization. For almost two years, he's been in a great spot leading Baltimore's defense.
