Brian Flores Responds To Tua Tagovailoa Calling Him 'A Terrible Person'
Brian Flores says his phone blew up on Monday after his former quarterback with the Miami Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa, basically blew him up.
Tagovailoa criticized his former coach for the way he was treated as the Dolphins quarterback in 2020-21.
Tagovailoa at one point called Flores "a terrible person."
Not a terrible coach, or terrible mentor. A terrible person.
Brian Flores: That's Not Me
That should hit differently. And it apparently did for Flores, now the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator.
"Look, I’m human," Flores said Tuesday. "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, ‘How can I grow from that? Or how can I be better?’
"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 what anyone says about Brian Flores?"
To be clear, everything Tagovailoa claimed happened between himself and Flores did in fact happen, according to multiple sources. Part of it was written on this site dating back to January of 2022.
Flores texts to Tagovailoa were often critical, sometimes confrontational, often withering to any young, perhaps fragile, player.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 15: Owner Stephen M. Ross of the Miami Dolphins enters the field prior to a game against the Carolina Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Tua Was Out Of Favor
But let me be clear: Flores wasn't alone in his doubts about Tagovailoa in those days. Multiple players on the team back in 2020 and 2021 told me they weren't sure they could ever win with Tagovailoa. They mocked him among themselves.
Around the same time, club owner Stephen Ross was meeting and communicating with Tom Brady about going to Miami. It happened multiple times when Brady was with the Patriots and then again with the Buccaneers.
"The investigators found tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in announcing a fine and suspension of Ross and removing of a first-round pick from his team. "I know of no prior instance of a team violating the prohibition on tampering with both a head coach and star player, to the potential detriment of multiple other clubs, over a period of several years.
"Similarly, I know of no prior instance in which ownership was so directly involved in the violations."
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 31: Defensive coordinator Brian Flores of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Flores Criticism Was Too Personal
And, lest we forget, there were several months during 2021 when the Dolphins tried to trade for Deshaun Watson to replace Tagovailoa. That charge was led by Flores, but Ross was part of it, as was general manager Chris Grier.
So the picture of Tagovailoa being out of favor with a coach who clearly didn't know how to manage him is not totally accurate. The quarterback was out of favor with a lot of folks back then.
But no one took that disfavor to the personal, perhaps cruel heights, Flores did. And we understand those heights better now.
They strongly suggest Flores is a poor people person. They suggest he has only one gear as a head coach when he's dealing with players – and that is to coach them hard and submit them to stress.
Flores, by the way, treated staff similarly to the way he treated Tagovailoa. He wanted people fired. He got some fired. Coaches couldn't stand the culture and left on an almost annual basis. And when Flores couldn't get people fired, he banished them from his sight.
All that should be on coach's mind now. If anything good comes out of Tagovailoa's revelations, perhaps it's Flores self-scouting. Wondering if his approach needs serious change.
"I'm always trying to learn, and grow, evolve," Flores said. "Really, in all areas of my life. This is no different. I think at some point you've got to turn the page and I'm going to do that. I'm going to do that now.
"I think in all professions, if you're staying the same, you're pretty much getting worse. So, like I said earlier, I've gotten better and improved in a lot of areas. You know, as a coach, as a parent, husband, in all these areas, I just try to daily improve and get better and evolve.
"So, yes, I think I've improved."
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa shocked the internet with his new appearance. Check out what he looks like and the reactions. (Credit: Getty Images)
Flores Doesn't Admit Mistake
Here's a problem: Nowhere does Flores say he made a mistake.
That's important because Flores eventually wants to be an NFL head coach again. And NFL head coaches have to recognize their mistakes, often times admit them to the entire team, and then correct them.
Evolving is not acknowledging there's a problem. Some people evolve and get worse.
As to an apology to Tagovailoa, that's not an option right now. It would have to begin with a meeting of some sort.
"That's something I've thought about," Flores admitted. "And, you know, maybe when the time arises or is available, I'm certainly open to that. But I've got a lot of other things going on too, as he does. Again, I'm just really focused on the guys here and the work we're putting in here.
"And not really be talking about me or a situation with me. For me, in a team sport, I'd rather be talking about them than myself."