The New York Giants made a major splash Thursday morning, reaching an agreement with longtime Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh to take over the reins in East Rutherford. Harbaugh, 63, brings a wealth of experience and a hard-nosed, winning pedigree to a franchise that’s been searching for stability and direction. But as the Giants celebrate their new hire, ripple effects are already being felt across the league - especially in Miami.
The Dolphins, who had interest in interviewing Harbaugh for their own head coaching vacancy, now find themselves not only out of the running for his services, but potentially losing a key piece of their current staff as well.
According to a Thursday evening report, Harbaugh has his eye on Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver as a potential hire for the same position with the Giants. Weaver was the only name mentioned in connection with the Giants’ DC search, but it’s a significant one. The 43-year-old has earned respect across the league for his leadership, defensive acumen, and ability to connect with players - qualities that make him an attractive candidate for any staff, especially one being built from the ground up in New York.
Weaver is still under contract with Miami, but the situation is fluid. When a new head coach comes in - as the Dolphins are in the process of finding - they typically have the freedom to build their own staff.
That means coordinators like Weaver could be allowed to explore other opportunities, even if technically the Dolphins could block a lateral move to another team. In practice, teams often let assistants leave if it’s clear their future with the new regime is uncertain.
If Weaver does follow Harbaugh to New York, it would be a double hit for Miami. Not only would they lose a respected defensive mind, but they’d also forfeit the chance to receive two third-round compensatory picks - a benefit that only kicks in if a minority coach is hired away as a head coach, not for a coordinator role.
In the short term, the Dolphins are left with more questions than answers. Their coaching search continues, and now they may have to prepare for the possibility of rebuilding their defensive staff as well.
For the Giants, though, the Harbaugh era is off to an aggressive start. If he can bring in a proven coach like Weaver to run his defense, it would be a strong first step toward reshaping a team that’s been stuck in neutral for far too long.