Anthony Weaver Is Bridging A Gap Fangio Couldn’t
Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Last season, the Miami Dolphins offense got whatever it wanted in most games, except for a defense that could make some more stops. The Dolphins’ defense was ranked 22nd in the NFL, and that was enough to give defensive coordinator Vic Fangio a one-way ticket out of town.
There wasn’t a lot of talk about it last season, but reports have been flowing in about some dysfunction on that side of the ball, which started up top with the defensive coordinator. The front office got word of that dysfunction and decided to bring in Anthony Weaver, who has been known as a players’ coach. Already, his culture change is creating a shift in the defense’s mindset, which players believe will result in better play on the field.
Safety Jevon Holland is one of the players who didn’t love the way things went last year with the Dolphins and admits that it’s a complete 180 from last year, which starts with Weaver.
“It’s a blast out there,” Holland said. “I don’t know if you guys got to see, but I’m having a bunch of fun. He’s a fun coach to play under. He really established an exciting culture and allows us a lot of room to just grow within it, so I’m enjoying myself a lot.”
One reason Holland believes there has been a big change is that Weaver has been there in the NFL’s trenches before. The Baltimore Ravens selected Weaver in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft and he played seven seasons in the league. Holland believes that Weaver’s experience helps him connect well with the players.
“Weaver is super dope, man, as a person, as an ex-player, as a coach — you could just feel it,” Holland glowed. “He understands where we’re coming from, wants to hear us and our input on the defense, and then is able to put that into how the defense is called and how the defense is taught…. He’s really a solid dude.”
Having a player who connects well with others doesn’t guarantee success, but it helps make players more comfortable in a system, and that is a big deal for a defense that needs to play at their peak.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has noticed the changes and believes that Weaver is well on his way to getting the best out of his players.
“It’s very important that there’s connectivity there,” McDaniel said. “It’s also not a surprise, but I think there’s an important part in football that is sometimes overlooked. But I think it’s a very, very valuable and instrumental part of the whole thing, and that’s the emotional connectivity of coaches to players. And if you’re trying to get someone to be their very best, you have to be able to reach them. And you have to be able to reach them in ways that are constructive, empowering; but overall, they have to choose to listen.”
Connecting with the players is the first step for the Dolphins in turning around their defense, but that is only the first step; the players need to perform on the field. The Dolphins lost some key pieces up front, including Christian Wilkins, but they have confidence they have the right guys to improve, including Kendall Fuller, Jordan Poyer, and Jordyn Brooks.
Brooks spent his first four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, and even though he has only been with Miami for a few months, he has been impressed with how everyone has come together in such a short time. That has included Weaver, who Brooks believes will get the best out of everyone because of the way he bridges the gap from coach to player.
“That just goes a long way, and I think he does a great job of just doing that, just being who he is, and I don’t think it’s forced at all. So I think in the long run, you’ll see a lot of guys playing hard for him just because he’s able to reach guys on a personal level.”
The results still need to happen on the field, but there is a quiet confidence surrounding this team that wasn’t necessarily there heading into the last season. If the Dolphins can get over that hump because of the defense, the most critical addition this offseason will have been the defensive coordinator.
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