Was Wink Martindale's '2-7' comment a shot at Giants coach Brian Daboll?

The question was innocuous. The response? Not so much.

When asked if he wanted to coach in college for the long term during his weekly press conference on Wednesday, Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said he had not "thought about the long haul" because, at age 61, he just tries "to think about tomorrow."

RELATED: Daniel Jones finally ends dreadful streak at MetLife Stadium

"But, you know, yeah, I'm glad that I'm here. I love the players that we have," he told reporters. "You know, I think that it's obviously a different game, but, you know, it's a lot better than being in some places at 2-7."

Hmmm, which NFL teams are 2-7 right now? That's right, the New York Giants — Martindale's most immediate former employer in the pro ranks.

Maybe it was just a coincidence that Martindale chose 2-7 as the most unideal situation to be coaching in the NFL. Or perhaps it was a not-so-subtle shot at Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

Martindale spent two seasons as Giants defensive coordinator before resigning last January. Reportedly, he and Daboll fell into a "bad place" during a disappointing 6-11 season, and Martindale cursed out the head coach after the firings of outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins and defensive assistant Kevin Wilkins.

Coaching in Ann Arbor hasn't exactly been paradise for Martindale.

After winning the national championship under Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines are just 5-4 this season and sit in the middle of pack in the Big Ten standings at 3-3. And after surrendering just 10.4 points a game in 2023, Michigan is giving up 23.3 points through nine contests this year with Martindale calling defensive plays.

MORE TOP STORIES From the Big Lead

NFL: Winners & losers from the trade deadline

MLB: Why free agency spending is likely to drop

NBA/SOCCER: Jason Kidd looking to buy Crystal Palace

CFB: Remember when Lincoln Riley was good at coaching QBs?