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Wink Martindale gets second Colts interview as interest in Giants staff grows

Consider the rash of interest in poaching Giants assistant coaches to be the price of success.

Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale will visit Indianapolis this week for a second interview for the Colts head coach vacancy and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney is scheduled to interview soon for the Buccaneers offensive coordinator position, The Post confirmed.

The Colts are conducting a deep search that reportedly included 14 first-round interviews. Martindale, interim Colts head coach Jeff Saturday, Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris have been called back for in-person interviews thus far.

Because there is no salary cap for coaches, the Giants could try to make the 59-year-old Martindale a lucrative offer to stay, though he has made no secret about his desire to be a head coach and those opportunities don’t come every year for relatively older, defensive-minded coaches. Then-Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham received a raise in conjunction with turning down a head coach interview with the Jets in January 2021.

“Wink is unique in that he is a great builder of people and great motivator of people,” Giants defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson said recently. “He was phenomenal this year in playing through all the injuries and moving pieces we had.”

Outside linebacker Jihad Ward, who played under Martindale with the Ravens and Giants, described his play-caller’s personality as “100 percent” authentic. Ward said a team would rally around their head coach’s “ride-or-die togetherness” built in the locker room. If Martindale is hired away, he could tap outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins to be his defensive coordinator, unless the Giants have the same idea.

Tierney, 36, has just one year of experience as a primary position coach but drew rave reviews for his relationship-building and hand in turning around Daniel Jones’ career. He has worked under Brian Daboll for the last six seasons, as an offensive analyst at Alabama, as an offensive assistant and then assistant quarterbacks coach with the Bills, and then as the quarterbacks coach for Daboll’s initial Giants staff.

The Buccaneers are entering a time of offensive change, after firing coordinator Byron Leftwich. Quarterback Tom Brady is a free agent.

Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka is scheduled for a second interview with the Texans. Tierney, who would be a logical fit to be promoted if Kafka is hired, drew praise from Jones for creating unique drills that “simulate game-like movement.”

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