Brian Flores responds to Tua Tagovailoa’s comments: ‘I’m genuinely happy for the success’ he’s had

Brian Flores responds to Tua Tagovailoa’s comments: ‘I’m genuinely happy for the success’ he’s had

Earlier this week, when talking with Dan Le Batard Show, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made headlines by heavily criticizing former Dolphins head coach and current Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Trey went more into it here, but Tagovailoa went as far as to call Flores a “terrible person,” and highlighting that he was in such a dark place mentally in his first two seasons under Flores.

Flores addressed those comments Tuesday.

“I just want to say I’m genuinely happy for the success that Tua’s had, and I really wish him nothing but the best,” Flores said Tuesday. “I think player relationships are very important to me. I think that’s kind of the foundation of coaching. I got into coaching because I was impacted as a young guy by my high school coaches, my college coaches, going all the way to Pop Warner. I got into coaching because I wanted to make that same kind of impact — positive impact — pour into young people, help them become the best versions of themselves. That’s really my goal always in coaching. So, I wish nothing but the best to Tua.”

At the start of his mid-week press conference, Vikings safety Josh Metellus and Harrison Phillips stood behind their second-year defensive coordinator, who helped turn the unit around after being one of the NFL’s worst in 2022.

“Look, I’m human,” Flores said. “That hit me in a way that I wouldn’t say was positive for me. But at the same time, I’ve got to use that and say, ‘Hey, how can I grow from that, or how can I be better?’ And that’s really where I’m at from that standpoint. Do I feel like that’s me? No. But how can I grow from that situation and create a world where that’s not the case where anyone says that about Brian Flores?

“I think there’s things that I can do better for sure, and I’ve grown in that way. I’ve tried to apply the things that I can do better and the things that I’ve learned over the last 2-3 years. But I’d say over the long haul, I’ve had a lot of great relationships over my 21-year career here in the league. Players, coaches, personnel, equipment, people in the kitchen, really across the board I’ve had a lot of great relationships. I’m going to continue to do that.”

While Flores didn’t necessarily deny any of what Tagovailoa said, it’s good to see him acknowledging that he’s reflected and likely handled the whole situation very poorly.

He’s one of the best coordinators in the league, so who knows whether or not he’ll get a bite at the apple. Minnesota is a Grade A organization with a head coach in Kevin O’Connell who is closer to what McDaniel currently is in Miami in terms of instilling confidence in his players. Perhaps Flores has learned a thing or two over time from him about how to handle certain situations.

That’s the great unknown. It’s an ugly situation for everyone involved, but it’s also good to see Tagovailoa rehabilitate his career, leading one of the most electric offenses in the sport.

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