Julian Love excited to play in Wink Martindale's defense
Giants defensive back Julian Love is entering his fourth season in the NFL and is already learning his third new defense.
Head Coach Brian Daboll hired Don "Wink" Martindale earlier this offseason to serve as the team's defensive coordinator, bringing some aggressive play-calling to the Giants' defense. Under Martindale, the Baltimore Ravens ranked in the top three in points allowed in three of his four seasons as DC.
While training camp doesn't even kick off for another two months, the young defensive back is already enjoying his time playing for the team's new defensive coordinator.
"This defense is going to reflect who Wink is as a person," Love told The Post. "He really doesn't care what people think of him. He's going to do it his way, but not in an in-your-face, my-way-or-the-highway way. He lets guys be creative and have the keys to the defense. But our mindset and mentality will be that we're going to go out on our terms and make these dudes feel it. So far, it's been really fun."
Love has not missed a game over the last two seasons, and has only been inactive for one contest since being drafted by the Giants in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. However of his 48 career games, Love has only 16 starts.
The 24-year-old has made the most of his time on the field, registering an interception in each of his first three seasons. Love set new career-highs in several categories last year, including pass breakups (seven), total tackles (66) and QB hits (two), while also picking up his first career fumble recovery and half sack.
Love is now the longest-tenured member of the Big Blue secondary. While you never know what could happen between now and the start of the season, it appears as if he will get the opportunity to compete to start at safety alongside Xavier McKinney.
"I don't know if it's what these past few years have done to my mindset about how I approach things, but I still feel like — despite what it seems right now — I have that chip on my shoulder," Love said. "I feel like my back is always against the wall. That's just been instilled in me. I've really had to fight for what I've gotten...
"I keep thinking about what my role and responsibility is. I'm a big proponent that everything happens for a reason. That resiliency I've had to have the past few years is only going to make me a better player this year. I'm trying to raise my game a lot this year by still letting the game to me, most importantly. But you know where I'm coming from: I have to keep that chip on my shoulder."
Giants launch new podcast 'Her Playbook' celebrating women in sports
The New York Giants have launched a new podcast celebrating women in sports entitled "Her Playbook". The podcast will feature successful women from within the Giants organization and around the sports world as they share their individual journeys to the top of the industry.
Athletes, coaches, broadcasters, agents, authors and business executives will tell their unique stories and discuss their "playbook" in becoming leaders in their field.
The two-episode premiere of "Her Playbook" is hosted by Giants on-air personality Madelyn Burke and features a conversation with ESPN SportsCenter anchor Hannah Storm and Giants Director of Coaching Operations Laura Young.
"We are proud to offer a platform for the many accomplished women in the sports industry to share their unique stories," Giants Chief Commercial Officer Pete Guelli said. "This is an exciting new addition to the Giants Podcast Network."
Storm is an award-winning journalist, producer and director. She is a pioneer in the field of sports broadcasting for women, a published author, an advocate for children suffering from debilitating vascular birthmarks and a mother of three children.
Young is the first woman to be hired in a coaching position in Giants history and is the team's Director of Coaching Operations. She is involved in every aspect of football operations. Young has 18 years of NFL experience and was previously with the Buffalo Bills.
