Wink Martindale Offered Defensive Help to Cowboys

The former coach has criticized current defensive schemes as the Cowboys struggle through a 1-2 start.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Football

Expressive editorial sports illustration of defensive football players in motion, evoking the defensive tension of the Dallas Cowboys football season. — Wink Martindale has offered his defensive coaching expertise to the Dallas Cowboys following the team's defensive struggles and a 1-2 start to the NFL season. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Wink Martindale has offered his services to assist the Dallas Cowboys defense following the team's difficult start to the season. The unit currently ranks as the third-worst in the NFL, allowing an average of 387 yards per game.

Why it matters

Martindale claims the Cowboys' current defensive coaching is being outclassed as the team struggles to maintain a competitive edge. This public offer follows a narrow 34-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens where the defense failed to stop a game-winning drive.

The Dallas Cowboys currently hold a 1-2 win-loss record while conceding an average of 27.7 points and 387 total yards per game. The team recently surrendered a 29-yard pass to Zay Flowers and a 56-yard field goal in the loss to Baltimore.

The players

Wink Martindale

He is an experienced NFL coach who most recently served as the defensive coordinator for the University of Michigan football team.

Brian Schottenheimer

He currently serves as the head coach for the Dallas Cowboys and has taken responsibility for late-game management errors.

Jerry Jones

He is the long-time owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys organization.

The details

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer has formally acknowledged errors regarding his management of the final 20 seconds during the recent loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Owner Jerry Jones has publicly expressed frustration, stating there is no satisfactory explanation for the team's recent defensive performance.

Wink Martindale served as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator in 2010.
Martindale held the defensive coordinator position for the Baltimore Ravens from 2018 to 2021.
Martindale coached for the New York Giants from 2022 to 2023.
Martindale served as the Michigan defensive coordinator from 2024 to 2025.
The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Houston Texans on Nov. 18, 2024.

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Season Trajectory

Martindale's outreach highlights the desperate search for stability within a Cowboys team that is already falling behind in early playoff contention. The team's immediate ability to address these defensive deficiencies will dictate their standing ahead of next Sunday's game against the Texans.

The Cowboys are currently 1-2, placing immediate pressure on the defensive unit to improve upon their 387-yard average allowed per game. This impacts roster rotation and coaching decisions ahead of the upcoming matchup against the Houston Texans.

The takeaway

The Dallas Cowboys face significant internal pressure to reconcile coaching strategies with poor on-field results. Fans and stakeholders should watch for staff announcements before the next game to see if the team makes significant personnel adjustments.