Saratoga Native Earns Early Accolades in New Role with Miami Dolphins

MIAMI, FLORIDA — “He does a great job.” “A good person.” “Super dope.” “An exciting culture.” “I love where we are.” 

These are just some of the flattering quotes from Miami Dolphins players and personnel about the team’s new Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver, a Saratoga Springs native and member of the Blue Streaks Hall of Fame.

Weaver, who interviewed with both the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders for their head coaching positions in January, was named Miami’s new defensive coordinator the following month. Since then, early feedback on his tenure has been resoundingly positive.

“Bringing in [Weaver], too, from Baltimore, watching the defense in [organized team activities] and minicamp was spooky. The looks, the disguises, the weapons that he has, and the way that he’s using those guys, I love where we are,” Dolphins left tackle Terron Armstead told Kay Adams on the “Up & Adams Show” last month.

“It’s been really cool getting to know him,” defensive tackle Zach Sieler said about Weaver in an interview with CBS 12 News in June. “Obviously being a former player and also him coming from [the Baltimore Ravens], I see a lot of crossover from that and that Baltimore mindset. It’s been cool circling back to that and kind of feeling him out and just again how he views football and how he is off the field, on the field. Building that rapport with him has been really fun.”

“What I like about Weaver, he doesn’t force it,” linebacker Jordyn Brooks told ESPN earlier this month. “You can tell when somebody is kind of forcing a relationship or trying to just do things. He’s kind of really natural and organic, just literally, you might be standing off and he might tap you on the shoulder and talk about whatever. Little moments, like I said, they go a long way. It’s like, ‘Oh, I thought you were going to talk to me about ball,’ and he asked me something personal. 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 kind words about Weaver are probably no surprise to those familiar with his reputation in Saratoga Springs, where he started playing football for the Blue Streaks as a 9th grader in 1995.

“Anthony is one of the nicest people you will ever meet,” Saratoga Springs varsity football coach Eric Hayden told Saratoga TODAY in February. “His Athletic achievements are amazing, but his personality is what separates him.”

“One of the biggest qualities that you notice about him is his adaptability to people and his love for people,” said Blaise Juliano, Weaver’s high school football coach. “He’s really a great person.”

Despite all the praise, Weaver still has a daunting task in front of him. Miami’s offense last year was stellar, leading the league in both total offensive yards per game (401.3) and passing yards per game (265.5), while ranking sixth in rushing yards per game (135.8). But the Dolphins’ defense was generally good-but-not-great, ranking 10th in yards allowed per game, 14th in turnover ratio, and 14th in allowing opponents to convert to a new set of downs.

How much Weaver is able to bolster Miami’s defense will begin to become clear when the Dolphins take the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first game of the regular season on Sunday, September 8.