Ravens Make Surprise Coaching Move

The Baltimore Ravens just missed the playoffs in 2022 and have now made a change to the coaching staff. The Ravens surprisingly fired defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale over the weekend. Martindale had become a fixture for the Baltimore defense and a popular candidate for head coaching jobs throughout the league.

Martindale had been with Baltimore since 2012 when he joined as the team's linebacker coach. He was later elevated to defensive coordinator in 2018.

During the last four seasons, the Baltimore defense has continued its dominance against most of the league. The old school, blue-collared mentality has remained since the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1996 and was reaffirmed under Martindale. The Ravens finished in the top three in total defense in each of his first three years and twice in the top two.

Unfortunately, the Ravens' defense fell all the way down to 19th in 2021, and the team decided to move on from their 58-year-old defensive coordinator.

Martindale has a bevy of experience as a coach in both the NFL and college ranks and should be able to find a new job quickly. He is a prime candidate to join one of these new coaching staffs or join a team that loses its own defensive coordinator.