Anthony Weaver joined the Miami Dolphins as defensive coordinator in 2024. The 2024 season marks Weaver's 20th in the NFL – his 13th as a coach after seven as a player.
Weaver has a proven track record of developing players on some of the league's top defenses. He has helped produce six Pro Bowl players, serving as the position coach for Mario Williams (2013), Kyle Williams (2013), Marcell Dareus (2013), Jadeveon Clowney (2016-18), J.J. Watt (2018) and most recently, Justin Madubuike (2023).
A third-round pick in 2020, Madubuike set career highs in tackles, sacks and tackles for loss in all three seasons he played under Weaver. In 2023, Madubuike totaled 13.0 sacks, leading all NFL defensive tackles. It was tied for the fifth-most sacks by an NFL defensive tackle in a season since 2001. All three of Clowney's career Pro Bowl selections came with Weaver as his position coach.
Weaver spent the past three seasons (2021-23) with the Baltimore Ravens, where he served one year (2021) as run game coordinator/defensive line and two (2022-23) as assistant head coach/defensive line. In Weaver's three seasons in Baltimore, the team allowed 95.3 rushing yards per game, ranking third in the NFL. The Ravens led the NFL in third-down defense (35.5) and red zone defense (47.1) during that span. Weaver also helped lead Baltimore's search for an offensive coordinator in 2023.
In 2023, the Ravens led the NFL in scoring defense (16.5 points allowed per game) and went 13-4, earning the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Baltimore led the NFL with 60.0 sacks, tied for the most in team history. Madubuike's career-high 13.0 sacks ranked ninth in the NFL and were the most at his position.
Baltimore won 10 games and earned a playoff berth in the 2022 season. Defensive end Justin Houston led the team with 9.5 sacks despite being 33 years old. The Ravens finished third in scoring defense (18.5), run defense (92.1) and red zone defense (46.4) while ranking fourth in third-down defense (34.9). The team's 48.0 sacks tied for fifth in the NFL.
In Weaver's first season with Baltimore in 2021, his defensive line helped the Ravens lead the NFL in rushing defense (84.5) and rank third in third-down defense (34.8).
Weaver served as Houston's defensive coordinator/defensive line in 2020 following four seasons (2016-19) as the Texans' defensive line coach. During his five seasons in Houston, the Texans won three AFC South titles and his defensive line produced four Pro Bowls – three from Clowney (2016-18) and one from Watt (2018).
In 2020, Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham led the league in tackles with 163, the most so far in his seven-year career. Houston had 14 different players record at least one full sack.
Houston won the AFC South for the second consecutive season in 2019 and won an AFC Wild Card playoff game over Buffalo. A former fifth-round pick, defensive tackle D.J. Reader had a career-high 52 tackles, which was 14th among all NFL defensive tackles.
In addition to winning the division in 2018, Houston won 11 games and had six Pro Bowl selections. Two of them were coached by Weaver in Clowney and Watt. Watt's 16.0 sacks ranked second in the NFL as he earned first-team All-Pro honors. Clowney's 9.0 sacks were a half-sack shy of his career high.
Clowney also made the Pro Bowl in 2017, when he posted a career-high 9.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hits. Houston's 85 tackles for loss were second-most in franchise history.
In Weaver's first season with Houston in 2016, the Texans led the NFL in total defense (301.3) for the first time in team history. The Texans also led the NFL in first downs allowed (17.0) and ranked second in passing defense (201.6). Clowney earned a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career as the Texans won the AFC South and an AFC Wild Card game vs. Oakland.
Weaver spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons with Cleveland as defensive line coach. In 2014, the Browns limited opposing passers to the lowest passer rating in the NFL (74.1) and tied for fourth in takeaways (29). Defensive end Paul Kruger had a career-high 11.0 sacks and four forced fumbles in his first season working with Weaver.
In 2013, Weaver was the defensive line coach for Buffalo, where he coached three Pro Bowl defensive linemen in Mario Williams, Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus. The Bills had a franchise-record 57.0 sacks, 43.0 of which were tallied by defensive linemen. Both Mario Williams (13.0) and Kyle Williams (10.5) totaled double-digit sacks.
Weaver broke into the NFL coaching ranks in 2012 when he was hired as assistant defensive line coach with the N.Y. Jets. Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson had career highs with 69 tackles and three forced fumbles.
Weaver's first two seasons coaching came at the collegiate level. He spent the 2011 season as linebackers coach at North Texas, where he coached current Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr. He was also a graduate assistant at Florida in 2010.
Weaver played seven NFL seasons as a defensive end for Baltimore (2002-05) and Houston (2006-08). He appeared in 103 career games with 98 starts, totaling 260 tackles (203 solo), 15.5 sacks, three interceptions, 21 passes defensed, five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. He was a second-round pick (52nd overall) by Baltimore in the 2002 NFL Draft.
Weaver was a four-year starter at Notre Dame, where he was an All-American defensive end. As a senior in 2001, he was voted team captain and Team MVP.
A native of Saratoga Springs, New York, he was inducted into the Saratoga Springs Blue Streaks Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Capital Region Hall of Fame in 2011. He and his wife, Kristin, have two sons, Anthony Jr. and Justus.
