Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is reportedly interviewing with the Atlanta Falcons for the franchise's vacant defensive coordinator position. CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones first reported the news on Tuesday morning.

Former Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake was fired by head coach Raheem Morris after just one season in Atlanta.

Martindale, who has made stops all over the country coaching football the last nearly 40 years, just completed his first season in Ann Arbor. After a slow start defensively in the 2024 season, Martindale and the Michigan defense saw things start to click as the season went on.

He led the Michigan defense to a stunning 13-10 win over then-No. 2 Ohio State in the regular-season finale. The Michigan defense also held No. 11 Alabama to just 13 points in the ReliaQuest Bowl victory on New Year's Eve.

Overall, Michigan allowed 19.92 points per game in the 2024 season, and they held six of their last seven opponents to 21 points or fewer.

Martindale's time spent in Ann Arbor was his first season coaching in college football since 2003, when he was the defense coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Western Kentucky.

He then was hired by the Oakland Raiders in 2004 and coached in the NFL until 2023 (with the exception of 2011 when he did not coach). Martindale could be looking to make a return to the NFL after just one season in college.

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