[4] Right after college, Martindale took a job with his family's trucking company, hauling brake parts every day from Dayton, Ohio, to Detroit.

It was a grueling six hour drive round-trip and he hated it, so he quit after a year to pursue his passion for coaching football.

[5] Martindale started his coaching career in the late 1980s at his alma mater, Defiance College, as an assistant for the Yellow Jackets.

In January 2009, he was under consideration to be their defensive coordinator, while there was talk that owner Al Davis considered Martindale for head coach.

[3] Don had worked under Ravens' head coach John Harbaugh's father, Jack, when he was defensive coordinator at Western Kentucky.

[15] On May 22, 2023, Martindale was honored with the 2023 Paul "Dr. Z" Zimmerman Award, which is presented for lifetime achievement as an NFL assistant coach.