The Baltimore Ravens have fired one of their coordinators, although it’s not the name most were probably expecting. The Ravens announced on Friday evening that they had parted ways with defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale effective immediately.
Martindale had been with the organization in some capacity since the 2012 season when he was hired to be the team’s linebackers coach. After six years in the role, Martindale was promoted to defensive coordinator ahead of the 2018 season.
Since then, the longtime assistant has established himself as one of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL and received his share of head coach buzz as recently as last year.
Now, Martindale will be looking for a new job and the Ravens are looking for a new defensive coordinator.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh released the following statement announcing that the two sides had parted ways.
Statement from Head Coach John Harbaugh on Don Martindale. pic.twitter.com/j0zkpgmX1I
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 21, 2022
Wink Martindale is no longer with the Ravens organization
Martindale has found plenty of success during his time in Baltimore, but 2021 wasn’t a year to remember for either the coach or the team.
The Ravens finished with the 32nd ranked pass defense in the NFL allowing nearly 280 passing yards per game. Injuries undoubtedly played a factor in that with the likes of Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, DeShon Elliott, and others missing considerable time.
And despite the injuries, the Ravens still finished as the top-ranked run defense in the league. It’s hard to argue that Martindale didn’t make the most of the talent at his disposal.
The 58-year-old is expected to be one of the top assistants on the market now and likely won’t be without a defensive coordinator job for long.
As for the Ravens, they could look internally for his replacement. Defensive line coach Anthony Weaver has experience as a defensive coordinator while pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt is someone who has long been viewed as an heir apparent to Martindale.
The Ravens have their fair share of options, but that doesn’t make the firing of Wink Martindale any less shocking.