As he presented Anthony Weaver, the team’s new defensive coordinator, to the local media on Thursday, head coach Mike McDaniel remarked, “This is an exciting day for me and the Miami Dolphins.”
Since their days together with the Houston Texans in 2006–08, when McDaniel was an offensive assistant and Weaver played defensive end, the two have been acquainted for over 20 years.
“I had a tremendous amount of respect when I played under him directly,” Weaver stated. “I thought, ‘Oh, he’s special,’ when I got to coach with him in Cleveland [in 2014.'”
Weaver joins Miami after three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, where he most recently served as defensive line and associate head coach. In the process of going 13-4 and earning the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs, he assisted the Ravens in becoming the NFL’s best scoring defense team with 16.5 points allowed per game.
The 13-year coaching veteran understands the value of matching scheme with skill set and adaptability to the ups and downs of a 17-game regular season, even though he intends to bring some of Baltimore’s scheme to Miami.
“In my opinion, it’s difficult to categorize yourself in this league because you’ll encounter a variety of circumstances all year long, such as inclement weather or injuries. There are many variables, thus your plan needs to be adaptable enough to change with the players and the circumstances at hand.”
Weaver has only been in the South Florida sun for a short while, but already he’s picked up on some aspects of Miami’s 2023 defensive play that are unique regardless of system or position.
“I think there are a few players at every defensive position that you can be enthusiastic about. Watch the movie; these men have a great time playing.”
The two coaches agree that player development is essential to team building and long-term success, as McDaniel said when Weaver was first revealed as joining the 2024 squad.
Weaver, who was a player for seven years in the NFL, intends to use his experiences to help him develop relationships with his players both on and off the field.
“I believe that has really helped me throughout my coaching career as a whole. Not so much for the highlights of my playing career as for the challenges and misfortunes I encountered, as I can assist in coaching individuals through those experiences to help them persist and, maybe, turn out better than I did in similar circumstances.
“I take the job of being a defensive coordinator in a leadership role very, very seriously because I understand how limited this profession is. In this league, people have little time, and I don’t want to spend it on them. We want to excel in whatever we do as a result, guy.”
Weaver, who is starting his second term as an NFL defensive coordinator, sees 2024 as an opportunity to assist Miami in improving on its consecutive postseason berths.
“The opportunity to come here as a team that has had the success they’ve had, shoot, how do you pass on that?”
