Colts to Interview Highly Regarded College Defensive Mind
After parting ways with Gus Bradley, the Indianapolis Colts are looking for a new defensive coordinator. Five candidates have been connected to the team so far.
The newest confirmed candidate is longtime NFL coach Wink Martindale, the current defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan. Martindale has held the same position at three separate NFL teams, including the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, and Denver Broncos.
Tom Pelissero at NFL Network reported that the Colts will interview Martindale on Wednesday, one day after an interview with the Atlanta Falcons. Martindale has also garnered interest from the Cincinnati Bengals, per Pelissero.
In his one season at Michigan, Martindale's Wolverines allowed only 19.9 points per game (17th in FBS). On top of that, Michigan's defense allowed just 307 yards per game (10th in FBS). Considering his connection to the league, it's no surprise the Colts are giving Martindale a shot.
During his time in Baltimore, Martindale ran one of the league's top defenses from 2018-2021. Even though he parted ways after four seasons, his units ranked in the top 10 for three years.
Martindale was the Ravens' linebackers coach when the team won Super Bowl XLVII. His aggressive and creative play design would be a change of pace for the Indianapolis defense.
His schemes emphasize pre-snap confusion and force quarterbacks to adjust on the fly. If the Colts can create consistent pressure on the quarterback, it'll lead to stops and turnovers. In his second year as the Ravens' defensive coordinator, the team carried a 13-game turnover streak.
Expect the Colts to narrow down their candidates soon in preparation for the 2025 NFL draft.
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