The Miami Dolphins are 1-5 and look to be heading towards another lost year. And despite that, ownership has indicated no major change is coming for the team's coaching staff or leadership.
While Mike McDaniel isn't guaranteed to be safe this season, as he could still be fired, he's not a lock to leave after a rough couple of seasons. However, the same can't be said for one defensive coach on his staff.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, after the Tennessee Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan, a defensive coach on the Dolphins is one of the top candidates for the Titans' job for the 2026 NFL season.
Dolphins' defensive coordinator named top candidate for Titans head coaching job
"While the Titans were the first team to fire their coach, they will almost certainly not be the last." Russini writes, "I expected Tennessee's early list of candidates to include: Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith."
Of these options, Smith and Nagy have already had head coaching experience at the NFL level, while Anarumo and Weaver have been solely defensive coordinators.
Anarumo, thanks to the Colts' strong 5-1 start, might be the leader over Weaver for the head coaching job. But there's some intrigue with Weaver's name being mentioned.
The Dolphins' defense ranks as the 30th unit in yards allowed and 29th in points allowed so far this season under Weaver. Last year, Miami's defense was fourth in yards allowed and 10th in points allowed. Anarumo's unit this year is 19th in yards allowed and fourth in points allowed.
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While Weaver's unit isn't performing as well as Anarumo's this season, the Dolphins' defensive coordinator is drawing interest as a potential option to take over for the Titans in 2026 and into the future.
Of course, the Titans might end up going for someone else, especially an offensive-minded head coach with Cam Ward being drafted first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But, whether it's with the Titans or another head coaching gig that opens up, Weaver's name being mentioned as a top candidate is worth monitoring. The Dolphins, after a rough 2025, could see McDaniel get fired and Weaver leave for a head coaching job.
It's only Week 7, and there's still plenty of time for the head coaching landscape to change. But for now, Weaver is a top candidate, as Miami could be looking for some new play callers on both sides of the ball for the 2026 season.
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