The Pittsburgh Steelers have begun their offseason by conducting a search for a new head coach. In the wake of their blowout defeat at the hands of the Houston Texans in the playoffs, Mike Tomlin decided to step down from his post as the team’s head coach. The move caught many folks off guard, but Pittsburgh hasn’t had much of a choice but to move on without its longtime leader.
Despite entering the fray late, the Steelers are expected to have their pick of the litter when it comes to their head coach search. Candidates are beginning to come off the board, though, meaning the team is likely close to locking in on their top target, too. While a frontrunner has yet to emerge, rumors have begun to swirl indicating that Miami Dolphins‘ defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver could be their guy.
Steelers Showing Interest in Anthony Weaver for Head Coach Vacancy
In the wake of Tomlin’s departure, fans were curious to see whether the team would target an offensive or defensive-minded coach. Based on the candidates the team interviewed for their opening, it seemed more likely that they would lean towards the defensive side of the ball. As a result, guys like Brian Flores, Jesse Minter (who was just hired by the Baltimore Ravens), and Weaver stood out as obvious choices for the job.
After spending seven seasons in the NFL as a player, Weaver transitioned to coaching. He’s spent time with several teams, building himself up during stints with the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Texans, and Ravens before landing the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator job in 2024.
Over the past two seasons, Weaver has received praise for milking everything he can out of a fairly depleted Miami defense. Even with the team laboring through the 2025 campaign, Weaver’s work with the defense helped the Dolphins perform better than expected. While a guy like Flores has prior ties to Pittsburgh, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN indicated that the team may be more inclined to hire Weaver.
“Interesting candidate – Steelers are high on him,” Fowler said in a post on X in response to a clip of his colleague, Dan Orlovsky, advocating for the team to hire Weaver.
Should the Steelers Hire Anthony Weaver?
Nick Cammett/Getty ImagesPittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan looks on prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns on September 22, 2022.
If Pittsburgh is targeting a defensive-minded coach, which it appears it is, Weaver would be a sensible hire. He’s proven he can get the most out of an underrated group of players, and it’s clear that moving forward, the Steelers will be relying on their defense as they presumably begin their search for a new long-term quarterback.
Weaver isn’t necessarily the biggest name available, but he could be the perfect successor for Tomlin in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have several other candidates on their radar, but it looks like they may be closing in on Weaver. With Pittsburgh being one of the final teams still looking for a new head coach, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team make its new hire in the near future.
Steelers Reportedly ‘High’ on Top AFC East Head Coach Candidate