The 2023 season for the Giants was an ugly one.
After making a run to the NFC divisional round last year, the Daniel Jones' magic did not translate into this year. The quarterback regressed before suffering a season-ending ACL injury. The duo of Tyrod Taylor and Tommy DeVito was not enough to turn the Giants around, as the club finished 6-11, third in the NFC East.
The bad vibes have continued into the offseason, as there is major drama on the coaching staff.
Now former defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale and head coach Brian Daboll are in the midst of an intense feud. Martindale was reportedly not happy with some of the changes Daboll is making to the staff, leading to a divorce between the coordinator and the organization.
The Giants' defense under Martindale was inconsistent at times, but it was far and away the best unit on the club. The defensive group finished 27th in the league in overall defense, but was tied for first in the NFL in turnovers created, and was the main reason why the Giants were able to pick up six wins.
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Here is more on the Martindale-Daboll feud and what's next for the Giants:
Wink Martindale-Brian Daboll feud, explained
The bad blood between Martindale and Daboll has been boiling for a bit. Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported in late November that the two were butting heads, with a growing tension between the pair sensed throughout the organization.
"These guys are in a bad place," Glazer said. "Bad place to the point where I don’t see them actually continuing their relationship after the season, maybe not even during the season. It could be a mutual parting of the ways."
That tension seemed to reach its breaking point this week. According to The New York Post's Paul Schwartz, Martindale and Daboll met on Monday to discuss impending changes to the coaching staff.
Daboll informed his defensive coordinator that he was going to fire outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins and his younger brother, Kevin Wilkins, a defensive assistant. The Wilkins brothers are close with Martindale, as he was the one to bring them to New York from Baltimore.
That news reportedly did not settle well with Martindale, especially Drew, who is considered to be Martindale's right-hand man. According to Schwartz, he "cursed out Daboll, said his piece, got up, slammed the door and walked out of the building.
The Post reported Daboll was set on getting rid of Drew Wilkins and his brother because 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."
Daboll had said earlier in the day on Monday that the "expectation" was for Martindale to be back in his role for 2024, but that has since changed. The Giants did not hear from Martindale before he left for his home in Sarasota, Fla., where he was spotted at Newark Airport boarding a United flight bound for the southern destination.
The Giants and Martindale have since agreed to "mutually part ways."
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Is Wink Martindale fired?
The Giants announced on Wednesday afternoon that the team and Martindale have "mutually agreed to part ways."
When Martindale stormed out of the building and left for Florida, the New York Post reported that Giants had not heard any word from Martindale about a potential resignation. There were reports earlier in the day that he had resigned, and Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano reported that Martindale "is not staying — it's over."
The saga officially came to a close once the official announcement was made by New York.
Martindale was under contract for the 2024 reason. He was set to be paid $3 million on the deal next year, however the Giants will not have to pay him that amount, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan.
In addition, the Giants will not have any restrictions on Martindale's next destination. It was previously reported that if Martindale resigned, the Giants could block him from taking on another role in the NFL. However, that would be the case wit the mutual parting of ways.
