FLOWERY BRANCH — Don “Wink” Martindale, a former NFL coach who was in the college ranks last season, become the first person to interview for the Falcons’ vacant defensive coordinator position Tuesday, according to the team.
Also, former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is set to interview with the Falcons on Thursday.
The Falcons will have to comply with the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires that when a team is searching for a coordinator, the team is required to interview at least one external minority candidate for the position. That means the Falcons must interview at least one qualified minority candidate for the defensive coordinator role before making a hire.
Also, Martindale, who was at Michigan last season, is set to interview with the Colts on Wednesday. An Ohio native, Martindale also is a candidate for the open position with the Bengals.
Wink Martindale’s background
Martindale was the Giants defensive coordinator from 2022-23. He most extensive work was with Ravens from 2012-21. He was the inside linebackers coach (2012-15), linebackers coach (2016-17) and defensive coordinator (2018-21) in Baltimore.
Martindale, 61, also was the defensive coordinator with the Broncos.
He saw stops at Notre Dame, the University of Cincinnati, Western Illinois and Western Kentucky before starting his NFL coaching career in 2004.
Martindale has coached players to 22 Pro Bowl selections and 10 All-Pro picks. He has received the Pro Football Writers of America’s 2023 Paul ‘Dr. Z’ Zimmerman Award, presented for lifetime achievement as an NFL assistant coach.
Lou Anarumo’s background
Anarumo helped the Bengals make back-to-back AFC title-game appearances in 2021 and 2022 while allowing 18.8 points per game in seven postseason matchups. He was lauded for being flexible and making halftime adjustments.
Anarumo would be reunited with Falcons safety Jessie Bates III, who started his career with the Bengals.
After Bates’ departure for the Falcons, the Bengals defense has fallen on hard times. The Bengals were ranked 25th in points allowed and yards allowed last season. In 2023, the Bengals were 21st in points allowed and 32 in yards allowed.
Other qualified candidates for the open position include former Jets’ interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, Steve Wilks, Leslie Frazier, Marvin Lewis and former Saints head coach Dennis Allen.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris fired defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake after his first season. Lake had never called plays in the NFL until last season.
In addition to Lake, the Falcons fired defensive line coach Jay Rodgers.
The Falcons’ defense, under Lake, finished in the bottom half in the league in three of the four major categories. They ranked 23rd in total yards allowed (345.2 per game), 15th in rushing yards allowed (120.6), 22nd in passing (224.5) and 23rd in scoring (24.9 points per game).
Lake, 48, was head coach at Washington, but was fired after two seasons and received a $9.9 million buyout.
Lake had been at Washington in various capacities since 2014, including a stint as defensive coordinator from 2018-19. He was the play-caller in 2018 and had the Pac-12’s top defense in scoring (15.5 points per game) and total defense (301.8 yards per game). In 2019, the defense gave up 19.4 points per game after losing nine defensive starters.
Morris was asked about his vision for the defense moving forward.
“I think it kind of starts with the core guys, and we talk about the core guys, talking about AJ Terrell, and the year he had this year was outstanding,” Morris said recently. “He played really well. We’re talking about Jessie Bates. We’re talking about the things that he’s done and been able to do since he’s been here as a Falcon.”
The Falcons need to improve the front seven, but are happy with linebacker Kaden Elliss.
“The development and the growth of Kaden Elliss over the course of this year, in the last couple of years,” Morris said.
The Falcons finished ranked 31st in sacks last season, which probably led to the termination of Rodgers.
Morris likes some of the young players on the defense, including rookies Ruke Orhorhoro and Bralen Trice.
“That youth group that has got to come be a part of that fold when you’re talking about some of the guys we’re getting back — Trice, Ruke in his second year, (Brandon) Dorlus,” Morris said. “Some of those things and pieces like that’s going to come together on that side of the ball.”
Other candidates for Falcons defensive coordinator
Ulbrich, who played in NFL for the 49ers from 2000-09, was with the Falcons from 2015-20. He was the linebackers coach mostly and served as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach in his final season.
He helped to call the defense for part of 2019 and in 2020.
Wilks, who was the head coach at Savannah State in 1999, has been a longtime NFL coordinator. He was the head coach for the Cardinals in 2018 and was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator in 2023.
Frazier was the Vikings’ head coach from 2011-13. He’s be a defensive coordinator with the Bengals (2003-04), Vikings (2007-10), Bucs (2014-15) and Buffalo (2017-22). He was Seattle’s assistant head coach this season.
Lewis, who most recently was assistant head coach with the Raiders this season, is available.
Lewis was the Ravens’ defensive coordinator from 1996-2001. He was the architect of the record-setting 2000 defense that featured linebacker Ray Lewis. He was assistant head coach in Washington on Steve Spurrier’s staff in 2002. He was the Bengals’ head coach from 2003-18.
Lewis was Associated Press coach of the year in 2009.
Allen was the Raiders' head coach from 2012-14, was with the Saints from 2006-10 and returned to the Saints from 2015-21 as the defensive coordinator.
The Falcons finished 8-9 last season and failed to make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
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