The Miami Dolphins have found their new leading man on defense. The club has hired Anthony Weaver as its next defensive coordinator, the team announced Saturday. Weaver will head to South Florida by way of Baltimore, where he was the assistant head coach and defensive line coach for the Ravens.
The Dolphins found themselves in the market for a DC after the team and Vic Fangio mutually agreed to part ways in late January. Fangio has since signed on as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, Weaver comes in to fill that void and lead a unit that has the potential to be a sturdy defense when healthy.
We have named Anthony Weaver as our Defensive Coordinator.
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) February 3, 2024
Welcome to Miami, Coach Weaver! 🐬 pic.twitter.com/1hhwDgETwI
The 43-year-old played seven seasons in the NFL as a defensive end for the Ravens (2002-2005) and Houston Texans (2006-2008). He was a second-round pick out of Notre Dame. Weaver broke into the NFL coaching ranks as an assistant linebacker coach for the New York Jets in 2012. Since then, he made stops with the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Texans before landing with the Ravens in 2021. Weaver does have prior DC experience with Houston during the 2020 season.
In 2023, the Dolphins defense showed flashes of being an elite unit but was ultimately ravished by injuries, losing the likes of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips down the stretch among others. That led to a mixed bag of production throughout the year. The club ranked for the sixth-fewest yards per play allowed (5.1) but was 20th in the league on third down and 26th in red zone efficiency.
Weaver comes in after helping lead the Ravens to a stellar season defensively. The club ranked among the top of the league in nearly every meaningful statistical category, including yards per play allowed (tied for first), 5.2 yards per pass attempt allowed (first), and points per game allowed (first).
