Two teams contacted Dolphins to interview defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver

The Miami Dolphins might need a new defensive coordinator sooner than expected.

Two teams — the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears — have requested to interview Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver for their vacant head coaching positions, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Monday. It’s unclear if the Dolphins have granted the request.

This should come as no surprise to Dolphins fans as players have raved about Weaver since Day 1.

“Just fun, energetic,” cornerback Kendall Fuller said of Weaver. “I mean, he definitely is going to demand a lot out of everybody, but he’s there with you every step of the way, pushing, pushing you. You make a mistake, he’s going to come to you, talk about what you could have did better, talk about what you need to do going forward. I think the biggest thing, he’s always willing to listen.”

Added Fuller: “To see him as our defensive coordinator still having that mind-set of like wanting to learn, wanting to grow and wanting to hear from us, that trickles down throughout the whole staff, whole team.”

That praise continued all the way to the day the Dolphins cleared out their lockers Monday.

“I think that’s fabulous,” safety Jevon Holland said. “Coach Weaver is a leader of men, and you could see that in how he conducts himself and if you ask anybody in the defensive room, he’ll tell you the same.”

Weaver, however, has played coy about his potential head coaching opportunities.

“It’s funny because I spoke to my agent last night and he’s like, ‘What are you doing to prepare for those opps?’” Weaver said Thursday. “And I’m like, ‘Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing.’ I’m so focused right now on just controlling what we can control, beating the Jets and praying that we get the help we need in order to continue this run, because I think if we can get in, if we’re blessed with that opportunity, we can make some noise.”

Armed with talent at all three levels, Weaver constructed an unit that finished the season ranked fourth in total defense. In fact, the Weaver-led defense ranked in the top 10 of all major categories including third down (sixth), red zone (fourth) and scoring (tenth). Even better: he did all of this in just his first year as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator.

Weaver’s first defensive coordinator role came in 2020 courtesy of the Houston Texans. The Baltimore Ravens subsequently hired him in 2021 where he served in several positions — defensive line coach, run game coordinator and assistant head coach — until his time in Miami. Prior to the Texans, Weaver worked for both the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.

The 2025 head coaching cycle won’t be Weaver’s first go-round; his name was floated for the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders job in 2024.