Tagovailoa and Flores: Insights into a Tense Past

Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa avoided adding fuel to the fire of his conflict with former coach Brian Flores when he spoke at a press conference on Monday. Tagovailoa indicated that he had not heard from the former Head Coach of the Dolphins and current Defensive Coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings since his recent criticism of Flores. Flores had expressed openness to discussing the issue if the timing was right. However, Tagovailoa stated he did not want to add anything further. A week ago, Flores expressed regret about his handling of Tagovailoa during his tenure as Head Coach in Miami. In an interview with "The Dan Le Batard Show," Tagovailoa described how the coach told him he was "bad" and "didn't belong there." The quarterback did not mince words and even described Flores as a "terrible person." Flores still wished Tagovailoa success and emphasized that the comments had negatively affected him. "I have to use this to grow and get better," Flores said. "Is that my true self? No. But how can I learn from this situation and create a world where no one says such things about Brian Flores?" Tagovailoa emphasized that it is essential for a Head Coach to particularly support the team's quarterback. "It is a quarterback-driven league," Tagovailoa said. "Without a good team and a good quarterback, you can't achieve much in this league. Sure, you can have a good defense. But there are really good offenses in this league, you have to score points and find ways to achieve that. I definitely believe that—absolutely.