Anthony Weaver appears to have advanced to the second round of an NFL head coaching search

Anthony Weaver has advanced to the second round of a head coaching search.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer

Jan 19, 2026 8:32 AM EST

The Miami Dolphins coaching staff is facing the prospect of being turned on its head. There will be a new head man atop the staff in the coming days — potentially even as early as today. And when the Dolphins ultimately do make that decision, the fate of their assistants will lie in that man’s hands. Upheaval and sweeping change is probably a safe bet.

But while staring down a potential change, one coach that’s been on Miami’s staff is getting his own looks to be a head coach himself. The latest development on that front? Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has advanced to the second stage of in-person interviews with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Anthony Weaver to take an in-person interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Weaver is plenty familiar with the dynamics of the AFC North thanks to his time as both a player and a coach for the Baltimore Ravens. His time on Baltimore’s staff has allowed him to be tied to John Harbaugh’s new collection of coaches in New York with the Giants, too. He’s been an in-demand coach on a number of fronts, although the teams engaged with Weaver about job titles this offseason has not publicly included his current team, the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins have reason to hope that Weaver lands a head coaching job, as such a decision would bring into play the NFL’s hiring initiatives to facilitate diversity in leadership positions. The league assigns teams two third-round compensatory picks for losing minority coaches to promotions — so if Weaver were to receive a head coaching offer while still under contract in Miami, the Dolphins would net an additional third-round pick in both 2026 and 2027.

Weaver seems to be in his final days in South Florida either way. The reported leader in the clubhouse for Miami’s next head coach, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, did work with Weaver back in 2014 on the Cleveland Browns’ staff. But Weaver staying in Miami under a hypothetical hire of Hafley would likely include surrendering play-calling duties; a “demotion” in a sense.

Of the possible landing spots for a coach like Weaver, I do believe an organization like Pittsburgh would be a great fit. He’s a strong leader with good player relations and a diverse scheme that’s rooted in names like Rex Ryan, Mike Macdonald, and Wink Martindale. It feels very “Pittsburgh” — and Mike Tomlin’s most consistent strengths included the leadership and player relations elements, too. The big question will be if Pittsburgh wants more of the same or something different.

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Kyle Crabbs