The Miami Dolphins have officially appointed Anthony Weaver, formerly the associate head coach and defensive line coach for the Baltimore Ravens, as their new defensive coordinator. The announcement was made on Saturday via the Miami Dolphins’ official Twitter account.
Weaver, who had been a candidate for various head coaching positions, was one of the finalists for the Washington Commanders’ head coaching role before the team ultimately selected Dan Quinn, the former defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
We have named Anthony Weaver as our Defensive Coordinator.
Welcome to Miami, Coach Weaver! 🐬 pic.twitter.com/1hhwDgETwI
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) February 3, 2024
The 43-year-old coach will be stepping into the role previously held by Vic Fangio, who left the Dolphins after one season to assume the position of defensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles, citing a desire to be closer to family, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Anthony Weaver’s NFL career began as a defensive lineman for the Ravens and Houston Texans from 2002 to 2008. Transitioning to coaching in 2010, he entered the NFL coaching ranks as the assistant defensive line coach for the New York Jets in 2012.
Subsequently, he held the position of defensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Texans.
In 2020, Weaver served as the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans, a season during which the team ranked 30th in total defense and 27th in scoring defense.
However, his recent tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, where he held the roles of defensive line coach and run game coordinator in 2021, followed by associate head coach and defensive line coach in 2022 and 2023, saw significant success.
The Ravens’ defense, under Weaver’s guidance, achieved a sixth-place ranking in total defense and topped the league in scoring defense during the 2023 season, finishing with a 13-4 record and securing the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC.
Taking over the defensive reins for the Dolphins, Weaver will lead a unit that experienced a fluctuating performance in the 2023 season, ranking 10th in total yards allowed but 22nd in points allowed.
The team faced challenges, particularly on the defensive side, with key players like cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard missing several games due to injuries, along with pass-rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb suffering significant injuries.
Despite defensive setbacks, the Dolphins managed an 11-6 record and secured a playoff spot for the second consecutive year, though they were eliminated in the AFC Wild Card Round with a 26-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
While the offense played a pivotal role in the team’s success, ranking first in total offense and second in scoring offense, the hope is that under Weaver’s guidance, the defense can elevate its performance, potentially leading the Dolphins to their first AFC East title since 2008 and their first playoff victory since 2000.
