Eagles interested in Wink Martindale after Sean Desai firing

NFL

By Christian Arnold

Wink Martindale’s next job may have just opened up. 

The Eagles fired defensive coordinator Sean Desai on Sunday night, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported, and Philadelphia has already been tapping potential replacements. 

Among the names general manager Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni have already reached out to include the Giants’ former defensive coordinator, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported. 

The Eagles had also contacted former Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen among others over the past week, the report stated. 

Martindale would present an interesting option for Philadelpia and would certainly add a new wrinkle to the rivalry between the Giants and Eagles. 

From a football perspective, the Eagles could benefit from his blitz-happy style after their pass rush underperformed in 2023 and Philadelphia’s defense has a swath of Pro Bowl-caliber players in the secondary and on the line that are upgrades from what Martindale had with the Giants. 

“It’s a resilient group, and it starts at the top, it starts with Wink,’’ inside linebacker Bobby Okereke said about Martindale on locker clean-out day. “The way he coaches, the way he leads, just the energy, the fire, the passion he imposes on us, he really steers the ship.’’

Martindale’s tenure with the Giants ended in ugly fashion as the relationship between head coach Brian Daboll and the defensive coordinator had been deteriorating for some time, but erupted when Daboll let go of two close Martindale confidants after the season ended. 

The Post’s Paul Schwartz reported that Martindale cursed out Daboll and stormed out of his office upon learning the news. 

It was later reported on Jan. 8 that Martindale had resigned, but he never handed in an official resignation leading to more speculation until the two sides “mutually agreed to part ways” on Jan. 10. 

Lawyers for the team and Martindale negotiated that Martindale would be able to take a job offered by any other team and that the Giants wouldn’t have to pay him the $3 million he was owed under his contract in 2024. 

Thus eliminating a potential roadblock for finding a new job for the 2024 season and opening up the door to the possibility of a job in Philadelphia or anywhere else in the NFL for that matter. 

Martindale reportedly had interviews set up last week for the vacant Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator job. 

The Eagles’ decision to relieve Desai of his duties doesn’t come as much of a surprise after Sirianni stripped him of the defensive playcalling duties in the final month of the season.  

It was Desai’s first season as the defensive coordinator for the Eagles and in his final six games as defensive play-caller, Philly was 32nd in the league in third-down defense and red-zone defense.