Report details issues between Giants' Brian Daboll, Wink Martindale

New York Giants cornerback Adoree' Jackson expressed surprise earlier this week at what was first reported as the resignation of defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale but was later said to be a mutual parting of ways. 

According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, at least some within the Giants are less-than-shocked the working relationship between Martindale and head coach Brian Daboll lasted only two seasons. 

"On game day, he’s a madman," one anonymous team source said about Daboll’s demeanor during games compared to Martindale's while speaking with Duggan. A different source told Duggan that Daboll’s outbursts have reached "the point where you’ve got to take your headsets off or take one ear off." 

One individual added that Martindale "didn't like" and "couldn’t stand" Daboll’s "stares and how he just kind of looks at you" when upset during games. 

While Daboll and Martindale helped the 2022 Giants earn a trip to the postseason and a road playoff victory, NFL insider Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported when the 2023 edition of the club was 3-8 in November that the coaches were in a "bad place." Both Daboll and Martindale publicly poured cold water over Glazer's story, but Martindale acknowledged in December that things were different this past season "because we were winning more games" the previous year. 

"When you’re 4-8 instead of 8-4, things like that come up," Martindale said at that time. 

"When it’s going good, you put up with it," one team source told Duggan about Daboll's personality. "When it’s not going good, it compounds." 

More recently, Giants beat reporter Paul Schwartz of the New York Post detailed how Martindale "cursed out Daboll" after the head coach fired outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins and his brother, defensive assistant Kevin Wilkins following Week 18. The Wilkins brothers reportedly are "close" with Martindale, and Schwartz mentioned that "there was a feeling in the building that Martindale and Drew Wilkins were creating their own fiefdom within the coaching staff, at times bypassing Daboll and believing they had to answer only to each other and, ultimately, ownership." 

Even though the Giants finished at 6-11 before Daboll seemingly ran off at least one coordinator, it's believed he'll hold onto his job through the offseason. 

"He does a good job of keeping everybody together and feeling the pulse of the team," one Giants source said about Daboll.