New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale has never been shy about his desire to land a head coaching job. It’s an opportunity he’s waited for and one that nearly came to fruition this offseason.
Martindale interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts and was a finalist for the position. However, owner Jim Irsay eventually opted to hire Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen instead.
But was Steichen hired over Martindale? Not necessarily.
“I do know I was a leading candidate, but there were some things they wanted to do that I didn’t want to do,” Martindale told NJ Advance Media.
Martindale refused to elaborate on what those differences were but expressed appreciation for the process. Ultimately, he’s happy being back with the Giants.
“This is a prime destination right here in New York,” Martindale said. “I’m not saying I’m not going to go interview (for another head-coaching job) because that’s how you grow as a person. You have to go talk to people. I’m glad that I did it. I think there is some negativity out there with Jim Irsay that snowballs a little bit and it’s not like the perception. The best way I can describe it is that he’s a very fascinating guy. We talked for four hours and he did a lot of the talking.”
Martindale, who will turn 60 in May, doesn’t believe the Colts represented his final coaching opportunity. He views himself as a “winner” and has faith that things will eventually fall into place.
And if they don’t? He’s perfectly happy remaining with the Giants until the day he retires to Florida and starts a podcast.
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