As the New York Jets continue their search for a new defensive coordinator, one name that has appeared quite often is Michigan DC Don “Wink” Martindale.

Per sources, there is mutual interest between Gang Green and the long-time defensive coordinator.

While it is easy to look at Martindale’s extensive experience calling defensive plays and say he is a natural fit for the role, the reality is much different.

The Jets should steer clear of Martindale during their DC search.

Why the Jets should avoid hiring Wink Martindale

Before his time with the Wolverines, Martindale spent two seasons with the New York Giants, serving as their defensive coordinator under head coach Brian Daboll. Martindale parted ways with the Giants after clashing with Daboll.

As an NFL play-caller, Martindale is best known for his tenure in Baltimore, where he served as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021.

While there is no doubt that Martindale was a successful NFL defensive coordinator at one point, it has been a long time since he led a quality defense at the pro level.

Throughout his three most recent NFL seasons, here is where Martindale’s units ranked in DVOA:

2021 Baltimore Ravens: 10.0%, ranked 28th among 32 teams

2022 New York Giants: 10.9%, ranked 30th

2023 New York Giants: 3.0%, ranked 21st

DVOA is one of the best metrics for evaluating a unit’s overall performance. Martindale’s defense ranked in the NFL’s bottom 12 in each of his last three years as a pro coordinator, with two of those seasons ranking in the bottom five.

Martindale got off to a hot start in Baltimore, leading the Ravens to DVOA finishes of fourth, fourth, and sixth from 2018 to 2020. However, his most recent three seasons leave a lot to be desired.

If he were to join the Jets, Martindale would not have nearly as much talent to work with as he did when he began leading the Ravens’ defense, which already ranked sixth-best in DVOA the year before he took over as the DC. Based on his last three NFL seasons, how can the Jets trust that Martindale is the right man to turn around one of the NFL’s worst defenses?

Throughout his past two years at Michigan, Martindale has generally been successful. However, it is crucial to note that his unit struggled to rise to the occasion against teams ranked in the country’s top 25.

Across three games against ranked opponents in 2025, the Wolverines allowed 30.7 points per game, losing all three contests. They allowed at least 400 total yards to all three of No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 1 Ohio State, and No. 14 Texas, ultimately yielding an average of 427.7 yards per game.

Aside from Martindale’s shaky resume, it is important to remember the key word that Jets head coach Aaron Glenn used when describing what he is looking for in his next defensive coordinator: “synergy.” A primary issue between Glenn and former DC Steve Wilks is that they had two completely different defensive philosophies.

The same can be said between Glenn and Martindale. Glenn primarily uses a 4-3 base scheme that emphasizes press coverage. Martindale, meanwhile, relies on a 3-4 scheme that emphasizes motion and aggressive blitz packages.

For a multitude of reasons, it would be a grave mistake for the Jets to hire Martindale, especially with a surplus of viable options available.