There aren’t many things that surprise New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale after nearly 20 years as an NFL coach.
The 60-year-old said on Thursday, prior to the Giants’ (2-7) preparation for their Sunday game against Dallas (5-3), that it was upsetting to read the postgame remarks made by safety and co-defensive captain Xavier McKinney following the team’s 30-6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. McKinney claimed that the coaching staff was not allowing the leaders to lead or paying attention to the captains and team leaders.
Since it’s the first time it’s ever happened in my career, I mean, it surprised me.
Martindale, who is currently in his 19th season as an NFL player and his 36th overall as a coach, claimed that he had never experienced anything like that.
This is a quote from McKinney:
They haven’t done a great job, in my opinion, of listening to the captains and leaders and letting them lead. It was one of those situations where some of your captains—defensive leaders—were attempting to change things up. and simply not being taken seriously.
Martindale said the following about how he felt about McKinney’s remarks:
I was taken aback because that was the first time in my playing career that a player had made such an assertion.
stated Martindale.
It seemed to me that the child was just upset about losing. We conversed. We resolved it. He gave me the example of an in-game adjustment to illustrate what he was talking about. It took him a considerable amount of time to identify it for me.
He gave me an explanation of a coverage that we used just once. That was later clarified for me by him. It wasn’t mentioned to me during the game. That’s another reason it took me off guard.
Martindale claimed that he informed McKinney that those matters are confidential.
I just told him that when you say something like that, it damages the defensive room and the locker room. I appreciate the work that you [reporters] do, and I am aware of the [Internet] clicks that you do. However, the entire defense and the example I gave him was based on the idea that making a statement like that puts money in the media’s pockets and takes it out of ours.
After the game, it was an emotional event from which you had to draw lessons. We are now continuing.
Players have praised head coach Brian Daboll and his staff for appreciating player feedback.
Martindale took offense at the remarks. He frequently had tears in his eyes during his weekly interview with reporters.
Martindale, who claimed he asks players to voice their concerns about the game plan or anything else on their minds once a week, acknowledged that the remarks upset him. After hearing McKinney’s remarks, he went back to the defensive leaders to ask if anyone else felt the same way.
Do any of you have anything? I ask at the end of every meeting. Got any inquiries? Have any worries? Is everything all right with us? How are your families doing? Say something, if you have anything, because it’s a safe place. This plan is appealing to us. I really do mean it when I say that I check all the boxes, and we have had conversations with a variety of people who have visited those rooms.
stated Martindale.
And I believe that kind of conversation—before the fact, before the game—is beneficial. “I mean it when I say it, so please speak up if you have anything to contribute.”
I needed to return and speak with the leaders. Furthermore, it is not necessary to wear a “C” on your chest in order to be a leader. I spoke with all of the veterans, including Bobby Okereke, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, and A’Shawn Robinson, and asked, “Hey, is there something that we’re not discussing?” Is something wrong with this? And they replied, “No,” to a man.
According to Martindale, it’s an indication that a player is unhappy with the team’s performance after they qualified for the playoffs the previous season.
Although coach Brian Daboll stated that McKinney would start on Sunday, he declined to comment on whether the player would be disciplined. Having ten tackles on Sunday, he led the team.
As I’ve mentioned before, I adore our group.
stated Martindale.
We’ve been playing excellent defense for the last month leading up to Vegas, and I think we can only get better. And correct the issues; we were defeated in the first half of this last game by more technical issues, but I think we can still improve.
Azeez Ojulari, an outside linebacker, is optimistic that he will play on Sunday after missing four games due to injury. He began practicing this week.
Adoree Jackson, a cornerback, hasn’t practiced this week and is still following the concussion protocol.
In response to a question about whether McKinney would start this week, Martindale said it was up to him.
You will need to discuss that with Dabs, Head Coach Brian Daboll.
stated Martindale.
I haven’t discussed it with him or (GM) Joe Schoen, but for the time being, we intend for him to continue in his typical capacity.
McKinney is in the last year of his rookie contract, so at the end of the season, he could be a free agent.
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