The Miami Dolphins missed out on hiring John Harbaugh as their next Head Coach, and now he might be poaching their defensive coordinator. Anthony Weaver is in limbo right now as the Dolphins continue their coaching search, and he is now rumored to be a target of Harbaugh's as he looks to build his staff with the New York Giants.
Anthony Weaver is among the candidates John Harbaugh is targeting at defensive coordinator, I’m told. #Giants
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) January 15, 2026
Weaver has also been getting plenty of interest as an HC candidate, interviewing with multiple teams already this cycle. His time with Miami appears to be done in one way or another, but losing him to the guy many thought would consider them as a landing spot would sting.
Had Harbaugh been interested in the job with Miami, there is a good chance Weaver could have remained in place as the DC. Instead, the Dolphins will likely need to build an entirely new staff heading into 2026.
John Harbaugh may hurt the Miami Dolphins a second time by poaching Anthony Weaver
With Packers DC Jeff Hafley the odds-on favorite to be the Dolphins' next HC, Weaver was unlikely to remain in place. If Hafley gets the job, he will likely want to pick his own staff, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Still, the gut punch of losing out on the Harbaugh sweepstakes and having him hire Weaver away would be rough for Dolphins fans. Weaver's defenses haven't been particularly great in his two seasons, but the talent of the roster is the bigger issue.
Former General Manager Chris Grier did a woeful job of filling out the roster with legitimate starters in the secondary and the defensive line, making Weaver's job much harder than it needed to be. He needed to rely on an aging Rasul Douglas and inconsistent Jack Jones to be his top corners, neither of whom were with the team until after training camp, for example.
Weaver would have much more raw talent to work with if he joined Harbaugh in New York, with a young defensive line and moldable pieces in the secondary, including former Dolphins safety Jevon Holland. The fit makes a ton of sense, and if it happens, the Dolphins could be left wondering what could have been.