Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver interviewed for head coaching vacancies with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints last week, and both of those teams are still looking to fill those jobs.
But according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Weaver may be perfectly content to stay on Mike McDaniel’s staff in Miami, even if it means turning down a head coaching job elsewhere.
“I think that Weaver will wind up still in Miami,” Darlington said in an appearance on The Dive Bar podcast. “I think that if he gets offers — say the Bears come to him pretty hard — the Dolphins could probably make it right and give him a pay bump and keep him around. I think he wants to be here.
“It’s certainly night and day different than [Vic] Fangio who couldn’t get out fast enough. Weaver’s very happy, really enjoys working with Mike [McDaniel], loves South Florida. I would say he’d be hard pressed to leave.”
Weaver, 44, spent five seasons on the Houston Texans’ staff and three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before joining the Dolphins’ coaching staff in 2024. In his first year with the team, it finished 10th in points allowed and fourth in yards allowed, despite a lackluster pass rush (27th in the NFL in sacks) and not many takeaways (27th) either.
But head coaching opportunities don’t materialize often, and Darlington isn’t entirely ruling out the possibility that a team could pull Weaver out of Miami.
“If the Bears come at him and the Dolphins don’t show the love — you want to feel like you’re wanted — so I would say that the Dolphins do appreciate him,” Darlington said. “So I would imagine that, barring a very clear, great offer from a team like the Bears, I would say that Weaver is still here next year.”
The Dolphins have had three defensive coordinators in as many seasons during McDaniel’s tenure. Josh Boyer, who became Miami’s defensive coordinator in 2020 while Brian Flores was head coach, was fired in January 2023 after one season with McDaniel.
