Why Weaver Is a 'Little Edgy' But Not Worried About Reputation

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is looking for answers for his struggling unit

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It wasn't so long ago that Anthony Weaver was getting interviewed for head-coaching positions at a couple of spots in the NFL, and now he's spending his time trying to come up with answers for a Miami Dolphins defense that's off to a brutal start in the 2025 season and might be the biggest reason the team is 1-5.

But if you think Weaver is concerned about his standing as a future NFL head coach has taken a hit or his reputation has been tarnished in any way, sharp or form with his defense ranked 30th in the NFL in yards allowed and 29th in points allowed, think again.

"Absolutely not," he said Thursday. "I I've told you guys this before, like, I work in service, right? And I've been doing this a long time, and I don't I don't do it because I want to be a head coach. I don't do it because I want to make money. I do it because I want to help players and and I want to win, right? I want to win. This game, ultimately, is about winning. So how I'm doing, I've been better. I've been better. I'm little edgy, but I told the guys on Wednesday that when you're in this situation, it's going to involve courage and character, right? That's what it's about. And I need them to show that in these situations, what happens is that you have these battles against yourself, where you're trying to make sure you're not having losing habits, you're not pointing the finger, you're pulling the thumb, you're making sure you're not taking shortcuts, right? Because obviously that'll result in losses too. But if you can't win these battles against yourself, how the heck do you win the battle against somebody else? So that's what we're trying to do every day.

"I'm trying to do my best to make sure I remain a lighthouse in the storm, keep trying to do the next right thing. Get these guys to play as hard, as physical, as fast as they can. Inevitably, the score will take care of itself."

Weaver always has come across as determined and deliberate in his weekly media session, but it's pretty clear he's frustrated by what's happened so far this season.

The Dolphins' poor (and porous) performance on defense so far has not been a good look for Weaver, regardless of the fact that the biggest issue is simply a lack of personnel combined with under-the-bar impact from some of the bigger-name players.

That didn't stop him from dropping a little joke related to the biggest story of the week surrounding the Dolphins.

"We've got to find a way to win these games in the fourth," he said. "I think we've lost four games. Four of our five losses have come in the fourth quarter. And I've always thought that pressure reveals habits, so until we've had enough training where those mistakes don't happen in critical situations, the results won't change.

"Now, what I can promise you is to a man, everybody in this organization is committed to that. I mean, I know I've had coaches-only meetings where coaches don't show up. Just kidding. He's our quarterback, and I love him, all right. But I promise you, there isn't a man in this organization that isn't working to get this right. Everybody's disappointed. Our fans are passionate, and they have right to be disappointed, but it's not for a lack of work. I promise you that."