The Ravens are bringing back a familiar face - and not just any face, but one with deep Baltimore roots, a decorated résumé, and a proven track record of getting results in the trenches. Anthony Weaver is returning to the organization as the new defensive coordinator under head coach Jesse Minter, marking a significant addition to a young coaching staff that’s still taking shape.
Weaver, 45, steps into the role after spending the past two seasons as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator under Mike McDaniel. While Miami’s defense hit a few bumps this past year, Weaver’s first season saw him elevate the unit into a top-10 group - no small feat considering the work-in-progress roster he inherited. And even in a season of regression, he still helped orchestrate one of the league’s biggest individual defensive turnarounds.
That would be linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who went from underwhelming first-rounder in Seattle to first-team All-Pro in Miami. Brooks led the league in combined tackles (183) and solo stops (99), while also posting a career-high 13 tackles for loss.
His run-stopping instincts were elite, and Weaver found ways to expand his role in the pass rush - a clear sign of a coach who knows how to maximize talent. Coverage remained a weak spot for Brooks, but Weaver’s ability to unlock his strengths is what stands out.
Of course, this isn’t Weaver’s first stint in Baltimore. He coached the Ravens’ defensive line from 2021 to 2023, holding the titles of run game coordinator and associate head coach along the way.
Before that, he spent time as the Texans’ defensive coordinator in 2020, and earlier in his career, he coached the defensive lines for the Browns, Bills, and Jets - working under Rex Ryan during his time in New York. He even got his coaching start at the college level after retiring from a playing career that began in Baltimore, where he was a second-round pick out of Notre Dame back in 2002.
Weaver’s journey through the league reads like a blueprint for defensive coaching development. In Houston, he played a key role in Jadaveon Clowney’s rise and J.J.
Watt’s 2018 resurgence. In Buffalo, his 2013 defensive line was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks - Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Jerry Hughes, and Marcell Dareus combined for 41 sacks and 40 tackles for loss.
That group still struggled to stop the run, but in terms of pass rush, they were among the league’s most disruptive. Cleveland was a tougher chapter, with the Browns fielding one of the worst run defenses in back-to-back seasons, but even the best coaches hit speed bumps.
Back in Baltimore, Weaver reunites with two of his former pupils in Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones - both of whom developed under his watch during his last stint with the Ravens. That continuity matters. The Ravens will be counting on their defensive front to be more dominant in 2026, and Weaver’s hands-on approach with the D-line gives them a clear advantage.
This hire also brings much-needed balance to Jesse Minter’s staff. Minter, who made his name as a defensive backs specialist before coordinating a standout defense in Los Angeles, is stepping into his first head coaching role with just two years of NFL coordinator experience.
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is even younger - just 30 years old - and still relatively new to the NFL coaching ranks. That makes Weaver’s presence all the more valuable.
He’s not just a coordinator; he’s a seasoned leader with over two decades of NFL experience as a player and coach. He’s been in the locker room, on the sideline, in the trenches - and he knows what it takes to build a top-tier defense.
With both coordinators now locked in, the rest of Minter’s staff is expected to come together quickly. But make no mistake - Weaver is more than just a piece of the puzzle.
He’s a tone-setter, a veteran voice, and a coach who knows how to develop talent and command a room. For a Ravens team looking to maintain its defensive identity while ushering in a new era, bringing back Anthony Weaver is a move that checks every box.