Brian Daboll rejects Wink Martindale rift with Giants pizza joke

Brian Daboll used his favorite tool — a self-deprecating sense of humor — to downplay the idea he and Wink Martindale are headed toward an ugly divorce that would rock the Giants.

Fox Sports reported Sunday before the Giants’ 10-7 victory against the Patriots that the head coach and defensive coordinator are in a “bad place” that has created tension inside team headquarters.

The report suggested Martindale might not even make it through the final six weeks of the season — five games after the upcoming bye — let alone return for next season under Daboll.

“I’d say the biggest argument that Wink and I have had is who has the last piece of pizza,” Daboll said after the game. “I have a lot of respect for Wink. He’s done a good job. I’ll leave it at that.”

Martindale was not available to the media last week because of Thanksgiving nor after the game (as usual).

With the bye ahead, he is not due to take questions until Dec. 7.

“He’s a heck of a coach,” Daboll said. “I’m glad he’s on the staff.”

Before heading to face questions about the report, Daboll tossed a game ball to his “buddy” Martindale in the postgame locker room after the defense registered three sacks and two takeaways and held the Patriots to 4-of-14 on third downs.

It is not the first time Daboll and Martindale have faced questions about a potential rift.

Their starkly different approaches are seen in Daboll’s fiery demeanor on the sideline — often staring daggers through assistant coaches and players — and Martindale’s commitment to composure and how “you are not going to see me explode on the sidelines,” as he said in September. 

Their handling of a recent incident when safety Xavier McKinney called out Martindale for not adjusting play calls based on players’ in-game feedback was another example.