Kelly: Consider Anthony Weaver’s days in Miami numbered
We’ll soon be adding Anthony Weaver to a pretty extensive list of former Miami Dolphins assistants whom we can say “we knew him back when....”
Based on what we’ve seen so far, Weaver’s days as the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator are numbered because the 44-year-old former player turned assistant is ready for the call up.
We’ve had plenty of good assistants come through Miami over the past few years.
Todd Bowles, who has a 47-63 record as a head coach of the New York Jets for four seasons, and currently leads the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has a presence that commands respect, and a calmness that’s infectious.
Dan Campbell, who is viewed as the front runner for Coach of the Year honors because of the job he’s done leading the Detroit Lions (9-1), possesses a toughness that everyone wanted to live up to.
Zac Taylor, who coached Ryan Tannehill as his position coach and now guides a Cincinnati Bengals team he took to the Super Bowl two years ago, was cerebral and creative.
Darren Rizzi, Miami’s long-time special teams coach, who is now the interim coach of the New Orleans Saints, was always relatable. Everyone responded to Rizzi’s leadership, which explains why the Saints are 2-0 under his leadership.
Those former Dolphins assistants turned NFL head coaches stood out like sore thumbs, in a positive way, which explains their rise throughout the coaching ranks.
While some got to the mountaintop quicker than others, there was little doubt they’d each eventually get their shot to lead NFL teams.
The same can be said about Weaver, who took over a unit led by Vic Fangio that ranked 10th last season, and has delivered a defense with little drop off, despite having less talent on it.
Outside of the two last-second field goal losses to the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills, Miami’s defense has played admirably this season.
The Dolphins rank ninth in yards allowed (308 per game), and eighth in red zone defense, allowing touchdowns at a 48 percent clip.
Opposing quarterbacks have a 86.0 passer rating against the Dolphins defense, which ranks Miami as the 10th best coverage unit in the NFL.
If the Dolphins are going to keep winning, pushing for an AFC wildcard spot, that unit can’t afford any slippage.
The most impressive aspect of Weaver’s defense is the fact Miami’s defense is thriving without turnovers (only seven teams have fewer than Miami’s nine takeaways), and sacks (17). Only the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons have produced fewer.
Anthony Weaver interviewed for Washington and Atlanta’s head coach opening last offseason, and if he keeps this up he’ll eventually break through.
“I learned from that experience that one, it’s certainly nothing to be nervous about. Nothing to have anxiety about,” said Weaver, who joined Miami after serving as John Harbaugh’s assistant head coach in Baltimore for two seasons. “Ultimately I’m going to be myself, and whether or not they want me as a head coach is up to them.”
The best trait Weaver has is he’s relatable, which is important in this NIL era of youth and college athletes, where many of today’s top athletes are paid more than their collegiate position coaches. That entitled mentality has filtered to the NFL and forces coaches to adapt.
Weaver’s one of the best communicators I’ve come across during my time covering this franchise, falling just short of Jimmy Johnson.
“He’s great at breaking down tape to a whole defense, as well as units. It helps the players see the vision through the same lens,” said defensive lineman Zach Sieler. “The respect he gets from being a player can’t be understated. He understands the daily grind. He gets it.”
Whether the opportunity comes this season, or next, or the years that follow likely depends on how he continues to perform, and how many, and which jobs become open.
It will also be contingent on who is hiring, and what each team is looking for from their next leader of men, and that’s truly a crap shoot as history has proven.
But Weaver can’t focus on that now because he’s got a job to do.
“I am so entrenched in doing what’s necessary for the Miami Dolphins to win and whatever happens as a result of that, I’m not worried about it.,” Weaver said. “I just want to do right by these players and do everything we can do to make a run.”
This story was originally published November 21, 2024 at 5:16 PM.
