Art Stapleton | NFL writer

NorthJersey.com

The New York Giants have completed their interview with Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale for their vacant head coaching position Saturday.

Giants co-owner and team president John Mara, general manager Dave Gettleman and assistant general manager Kevin Abrams met with Martindale in Baltimore after interviewing Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy in Kansas City earlier in the day.

The team began their search for Pat Shurmur's successor Thursday with a meeting with Dallas Cowboys passing game coordinator Kris Richard, a former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator. The process continued Friday with former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy.

The next interview expected to take place is Tuesday's much-anticipated meeting with Baylor coach Matt Rhule.

Here are three things to know about the 56-year-old Martindale:

The résumé

Last season, in his first year as defensive coordinator, Martindale led the Ravens' unit to a No. 1 overall ranking, allowing an NFL-best 292.9 yards per game. Baltimore also permitted the league's second-fewest points per game (17.9), just behind Chicago's 17.7.

His coaching career in 1986 when he was named defensive coordinator at his alma mater Defiance College and through the years his system has always maintained an aggressive nature. Martindale has been shaped by some of the most aggressive defensive coaches in recent NFL history, as he coached with Rex Ryan at the University of Cincinnati and later with Rob Ryan.

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The journey

The nickname "Wink" comes from his freshman year at Defiance College in Ohio, where he played linebacker. It was a nod to Wink Martindale, a famous game show host in the 1970s.

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Martindale's journey to coaching included an early detour. His father and uncle owned a trucking company, and Martindale felt obligated to give it a try for a year out of college. He hauled brake parts every day from Dayton, Ohio, to Detroit, a 6.5-hour drive round-trip. The next year, Martindale began coaching and 23 years later he's still at it.

The verdict

Martindale would be an out-of-the-box hire and certainly against the grain of what the Giants have gone for in their coach, especially the last two. No one can take anything away from the job Martindale has done with the Ravens this season. Baltimore lost C.J. Mosley in the middle and ZaDarius Smith on the edge, but the unit will still be a reason why the Ravens are expected to make a serious push to Super Bowl LIV.

Another key component in Martindale's candidacy will be how he plans to continue Daniel Jones' development, and an intriguing subplot is speculation that LSU offensive coordinator Joe Brady could be someone who comes along on his staff. Brady is considered one of the best young minds in the game, and would be a plus for Jones if his work with Heisman Trophy winner and presumptive No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow is any indication.

Keep an eye on Martindale, although right now it would seem he's nothing more than a worthy underdog.