While Mike McDaniel is not guaranteed to be safe this season, as he could still be fired, it is not a certainty that he will leave after a couple of difficult seasons. However, the same cannot be said for a defensive coach on your staff.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, after the Tennessee Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan, a Dolphins defensive coach is a leading candidate 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 almost certainly won’t be the last.” Russini writes: “I expected Tennessee’s initial 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 experience as head coaches at the NFL level, while Anarumo and Weaver have only been defensive coordinators.
Anarumo, thanks to the Colts’ strong 5-1 start, could be the lead over Weaver for the head coaching job. But there is some intrigue when Weaver’s name is mentioned.
The Dolphins defense ranks 30th 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 ranks 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 the Titans in 2026 and beyond.
Of course, the Titans could end up choosing someone else, especially an offensive-minded head coach, with Cam Ward selected first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But whether it’s with the Titans or another head coaching job that opens up, Weaver’s name is worth monitoring as a top candidate. The Dolphins, after a difficult 2025, could see McDaniel fired and Weaver leave for a head coaching position.
It’s only Week 7 and there’s still plenty of time for the head coaching landscape to change. But for now, Weaver is the leading candidate, as Miami could be looking for new playmakers on both sides of the ball for the 2026 season.