DC Graduate Named Defensive Coordinator of Denver Broncos

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Former Defiance College football player and student coach, Don Martindale, was recently named as the defensive coordinator of the National Football League's Denver Broncos.

Martindale came to DC as an All-Ohio prep linebacker out of Trotwood-Madison High School and eventually saw time at the defensive end, linebacker and strong safety positions with the Yellow Jackets on the gridiron from 1981-1984. Martindale had 28 tackles and three sacks during his junior season in 1983 and was honored as DC's Defensive Lineman of the Week for his play in a November 5 game against Earlham.

When his playing days came to an end, Martindale began his coaching career as a student assistant for the Purple and Gold, while completing his degree from Defiance College in business education.

Upon leaving the Yellow Jackets, Martindale spent the next six years as a high school football coach in Ohio, before returning to the collegiate ranks to join the staff at the University of Notre Dame and then the University of Cincinnati.

Martindale then served as a defensive coordinator at Western Illinois and Western Kentucky, before making the jump to the NFL sidelines as the linebackers coach for the Oakland Raiders in 2004.

After five seasons with Oakland, Martindale accepted the same position with Denver in 2009 and helped lead the Broncos to an 8-8 record with the seventh-best defense in the league. Martindale will now lead that strong defensive unit heading into the 2010 season in his first professional stint as a coordinator.