Tension Mounting Between Giants Brian Daboll, Wink Martindale (Report)

This report of discord doesn't come as a surprise, as Daboll and Martindale are alpha males with very different personalities. Daboll tends to keep silence on matters regarding player discord, such as when safety Xavier McKinney suggested there was a disconnect between the players and coaches after the Giants lost his grievances about the leaders not being heard following the Giants 30-6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

While Daboll tried to minimize the flareup and keep any feelings about it in-house, Martindale not only clarified that he was the source of MCKinney's frustration, but he also played the wounded party, saying the safety's comments "hurt," and strongly hinted that McKinney wasn't even sure of what was bothering him it he first place to make the comments given how long it took for him to articulate what his issues were.

“It surprised me because it’s the first time it’s ever happened in my career,” Martindale told reporters. “That a player would make a statement like that. I think it was a case where the kid is just frustrated from losing. We spoke, we cleared it up. The example that he gave me of what he was talking about was an in-game adjustment and it was over — I mean, it took a while for him to point out to me exactly what it was, but I think that you grow from that.

“I just told him that it’s hurt the locker room, it hurts the defensive room when you say something like that,” he added.

More recently, Martindale and Daboll were seen having a lively conversation during the Giants 49-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The two men were involved in what looked like a tense chat as the teams headed to the locker room during halftime and again came out after the half.

Daboll again downplayed any hint of strife, but Martindale, whose defense allowed 640 yards to the Cowboys, was again quick to explain an attempt to minimize any sign of discord,

“I told (Daboll) what happened on the coverages," he explained. "That was it right before the half. And then coming back out, he had just got done at that time talking to the trainers, and we were talking about who wasn’t coming back for the third quarter during that time, and that turned into whatever it turned into, but there was nothing to it.”

The Giants defense has had its share of struggles this season. Coming into its Week 12 game against the Patriots, NEw York's defense allowed 371.7 yards per game (28th), 135.1 rushing yards per game (28th), and 236.6 passing yards per game (22nd).

The Giants are also dead last in point differential (-124) and yards differential (109.3).

Glazer also reported that the tension between the two men has reached a point where a mutual parting is likely to happen after the season--if not before.