Wink Martindale coached in the NFL from 2003 until 2023 before coming to coach for the Michigan football team. He had an impressive first year, and that led to some NFL interviews. Nothing came of them, and Martindale will return to Michigan next season.

Around this time in 2024, the question when Michigan football landed defensive coordinator Wink Martindale would be how long could it keep him? Could he be a long-term solution at the position or was he just a rental?

Despite losing Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Josaiah Stewart to the NFL, Michigan football's strength in 2025 should be the front seven of the defense.

After flirting with the NFL, Michigan football retained defensive coordinator Wink Martindale who will be back for his second season coaching the Wolverines' de

Graham's agent, Ryan Matha, revealed his client would only bench press at the NFL Combine and perform the rest of his drills at Michigan Pro Day, per Ian Rapoport. Graham is expected to be a top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, with some seeing him on par with Penn State's Abdul Carter as the top pure defensive prospect.

The Michigan football defense we saw early in the season in 2024 was much different than the one that surfaced by the end. After letting Texas move up and down the field, as well as some other teams,

Martindale spoke with the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts about their coordinator openings, but both organizations went other directions.

Wink Martindale may be under contract with Michigan, but he’s made it clear to those in charge: He’s still going to entertain NFL job interviews. In January, the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator accepted interview requests from the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts,

A s the 2024 season progressed, the Michigan football secondary went from being a weak-link on the team to being one of the best position groups. Fans saw a transformation in Zeke