Anthony Weaver – January 2, 2025
Download PDF version
Thursday, January 2, 2025
Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver
(As you look back at LB Chop Robinson’s season, I was going to ask not only what stands out from a good standpoint, there’s been a lot of good, but the message you would give him specifically where there needs to be a jump in Year Two would be what?) – “I think the biggest message that would be relayed is just not to be satisfied. He’s obviously had some early success which is truly a credit to him. As coaches just continuing to pour in him and with him responding and listening, but complacency is the cousin of death in this league. The last thing you would want to do is be happy with where you are at because the second that happens, somebody is passing you up. Incredibly excited about the kid, and I know he’ll put the work in so I’m probably more talking to a lot of other people on the team as opposed to him.”
(With LB Chop Robinson, is there a need to add yet another countermove as a pass rusher? And from an edge setter, I know you’ve talked about he’s made progress, but those two areas, what would be the next step?) – “As a pass rusher, you’re constantly adding tools to your toolbox. Trying to see how guys are seeing you on tape, trying to watch guys who have had success that has similar skillsets as you and seeing what you can take from them and apply to your own game. It’s exactly what I said, the kid has every athletic attribute known to man. He’s fast, he’s physical, he can bend. His arm length doesn’t hinder him by any means. So whatever he can take and utilize and then apply, he should.”
(For LB Tyrel Dodson to come in and have a game he did last week, I imagine you bring a guy in mid-season you never know how they’ll mesh or how they’ll fit in with the group, but it seems like he’s just kind of been able to step right into the starting lineup.) – “And to be honest, we kind of expected that. Fortunately I had some people in Seattle that could give us some really good intel, and all reports out of there was tremendous teammate, really good player. They just had some young guys they wanted to get on the field. That obviously has worked out in our favor and the transition has been seamless for us.”
(DT Zach Sieler was named team MVP. Do you approve?) – “Absolutely. We’ve talked about Zach (Sieler) before, I think the absolute world of him. Without a question to me, he is worthy of that award, particularly for our defense. He is the heartbeat of our defense. He holds down the middle and obviously just shows up week-in and week-out and affects the game in a positive manner. Well deserved, for sure.”
(This is the No. 3 defense in the league, but no Pro Bowlers. What do you think of that?) – “I guess we’re a little bit like, ‘No Name Defense,’ I guess. Hopefully we get in and we’ll give them a reason to talk about us.”
(I wouldn’t ask you the nature of what a private conversation would be, but I’m curious, obviously with guys who are on waivers, in Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s case, he called Matt LaFleur about WR Grant DuBose. In your case because of your relationship with Mike Macdonald having worked with him, did General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel have you make the call to Macdonald with regard to LB Tyrel Dodson? I wouldn’t ask you what’s discussed, is that conversation ever awkward when a player has been cut, because obviously you have to probe about why he’s been cut?) – “It’s never an awkward conversation, and (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) definitely didn’t prod me to do that. That’s something you just do on your own; if somebody comes up and you think there is potential to bring them to your team, as a coach you always want to get as much information on that player as you can. Those conversation typically aren’t awkward if you’re calling someone that you can trust. Because there’s some coaches obviously that are going to try to protect their guys, particularly if you’re talking to college coaches, right? (laughter) They’re going to try to protect their guys and paint them in a positive light. If you’re talking to coaches who you trust, particularly throughout the league, usually most people are pretty honest.”
(So you emerged from the conversation with Mike Macdonald recommending? Again, not asking the details…) – “No, I think the potential of adding Tyrel (Dodson) was brought to me – you’re always asked to watch the player first. So when we were asked to watch him, that’s when I chose to do a little bit of digging.”
(Last week LB Tyrel Dodson had 15 tackles. When you look at LB Jordyn Brooks’ career, he’s had as much as 184 tackles in a season. When you hear numbers like that, I’m trying to figure out in my head here what goes through a person’s body when they have that man collisions in a season?) – “I’ve never been close to that many collisions in a season during my career. (laughter) But the thing I’ll tell you about those guys – one, particularly in reference to Jordyn (Brooks) because I’ve been with him the longest, he is constantly working at his craft, in whatever that is – on the football field, technique and fundamentals with (Linebackers/Run Game Coordinator) Coach (Joe) Barry and (Defensive Assistant) Matt O’Donnell, off the field, taking care of his body, making sure he can endure those collisions week-in and week-out. I think he just displays a will and a mindset where he will not be denied. He’s going to make sure that he gives all that he has to each and every one of his teammates every single week. I think in my limited exposure now to Tyrel, ‘T. Dot,’ he’s cut the same way. Anthony Walker Jr. is cut that way, Duke Riley is cut that way. That room has been strong and consistent for us most of the year, and it’s truly a testament to those guys and the coaching they’ve been given, too.”
(Last time against the Jets, both WR Garrett Wilson and WR Davante Adams had strong outings. What needs to change this time?) – “We need to stop them. We obviously did not execute our plan the way we intended the first time, and we certainly didn’t go into it blind thinking like, ‘Oh, don’t got to worry about these guys.’ They’re incredibly talented. Obviously (Aaron) Rodgers, his relationship with Davante (Adams), it’s like they live together. They know what each other is going to do before they even have to signal anything, so we’re certainly cognizant of that. We have a chip from the way that last game went. It certainly wasn’t our best game, and we got to make that right.”
(And different for your secondary will be CB Kendall Fuller out, now CB Storm Duck on the boundary on nickel packages. How have you assessed how he has done?) – “I think Storm (Duck) has done a good job. I think Storm’s done a good job, but who knows who’s going to be out there. Could be a multitude of people and Aaron (Rodgers) will just look out there on Sunday and find out. (laughter)”
(Was there anything with CB Ethan Bonner’s snaps – I mean he’s played 16 defensive snaps this year – but was there anything there that made you give any thought to anything toward this Sunday?) – “Yeah, when his opportunity presented itself, he was physical and edge-setting. He got out there and made a tackle when the opportunity presented itself, so extremely happy with where Ethan (Bonner) is at. And there were some other guys that showed up, too. We’ve talked about Elijah Campbell who made some hits out there and was talking a little trash, which you got to love that confidence in him, and then Siran Neal. Siran Neal is a guy that has had some ups and downs throughout the season, but the one thing that I know about him is he’s going to show up and he’s going to be a physical force out there when he does touch the field. So all those guys certainly have an opportunity.”
(Are there any Georgia Bulldogs on the coaching staff?) – “None that come to mind right away.”
(Do you feel good about Notre Dame’s chances in the Sugar Bowl?) – “I feel pretty good about it, I absolutely do. More than I have – this is not a knock on my university, but I got to tell a quick story. (laughter) In 2012, they’re playing here in the Orange Bowl against Alabama.”
(I was there.) – “So unfortunately, so was I. Me and my dad were in town, because I’ve had that place in Coral Ridge since 2009, and I’m like, ‘Dad, we’re going to the game. We’re going to make it a day.’ It’s going to be a memorable time, like me, dad, father-son time, let’s go watch the Irish kick some butt. Only time we got to cheer was kickoff, and after that it was a pretty quiet day. I think we left some time midway through the third. Yeah, who would have known that after that game that your Mike linebacker getting catfished was going to be the second thing you’re actually going to be sad about. (laughter) So yeah, hopefully it doesn’t go down like that. Have the utmost faith in the team, cheering for Marcus Freeman and I hope they bring home a win.”
(This would typically be a question for Head Coach Mike McDaniel, but since we had a lot with QB Tua Tagovailoa with him, yesterday we never got to it. Just wanted to make sure that LB Tyus Bowser, CB Cam Smith, obviously they haven’t been designated to return. Both just physically not ready yet?) – “Yeah, just medically haven’t been cleared to play.”
(We’re hoping this isn’t the last time we meet, but I’m just wondering what your process is going to be should you get feelers from other teams for head coaching positions. What will you do?) – “Yeah, so it’s funny because I spoke to my agent last night and he’s like, ‘What are you doing to prepare for those opps?’ And I’m like, ‘Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing.’ (laughter) I’m so focused right now on just controlling what we can control, beating the Jets and praying that we get the help we need in order to continue this run, because I think if we can get in, if we’re blessed with that opportunity, we can make some noise.”
(How much do you want that for DT Calais Campbell? Because obviously, he stuck it out with this team and then now has a chance going into Week 18. That’s what he came here for, to compete in the playoffs.) – “I’ve wanted that for Calais (Campbell) since 2021, our first year together. Even the year we spent apart when he was in Atlanta, I wanted that for him. So obviously man, just to get in and to get a ticket to the dance is what we’re looking for. And if anybody can help push a team past whatever its limits may be, it’s that guy. So I’d give anything for that opp.”
(Maybe you need him to talk to the Chiefs, then.) – “(laughter) I don’t know, we’re playing at the same time so that’ll be a tough one. Maybe we can do a pre-recorded message or something like that.”
(How has LB Bradley Chubb been this last week, these last couple of weeks?) – “He’s been phenomenal. Like I said prior, I hope he gained confidence in that three-week window when he was allowed to go out there and actually play football. And really, he’s been phenomenal the entire season. I can’t say enough about the effect he’s had on Chop Robinson. He’s constantly out there, trying to coach him up on the sideline, just trying to help this young kid out because he’s been that guy too, right? He’s been that high draft pick with high expectations so he can relate to him. I love him. I can’t wait until he’s out there with us all the time because just like Calais (Campbell), Zach Sieler, some of these other guys, Jaelan Phillips, he is a force multiplier.”
