Tagovailoa recalls comments from former coach Flores: ‘You shouldn’t be here’
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa described on Monday’s Dan Le Batard Show a stark contrast between the styles of his current head coach Mike McDaniel and his former head coach, current Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
When asked about the differences between the two coaches, Tagovailoa bluntly described Flores’ style as abrasive.
“Well, to put it simply, if you woke up every morning and I told you, ‘You suck at what you did, that you don’t belong at what you’re doing, that you don’t belong here, that this guy doesn’t belong here, that you didn’t earn this,'” Tagovailoa said. “And then someone else (McDaniel) comes in and tells you, ‘Man, you’re the best candidate for this, you’re accurate, you’re the best, whatever. You’re this, you’re that.’ How would you feel if you listened to one or the other?”
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Flores coached the Dolphins from 2019 to 2021. He was fired in January 2022 — and McDaniel was hired in February 2022 — after compiling a 24-25 record in three seasons at the helm. Tagovailoa entered the league in 2020, when he threw for 1,814 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games.
Tagovailoa threw for about 2 1/2 times as many yards last season, with 29 touchdowns to 14 interceptions, helping Miami to an 11-6 record.
Tagovailoa said the coaching methods eroded his confidence and that he felt like he had regained his confidence in recent years after receiving so much criticism during his time under Flores.
“No matter what it is, good or bad,” he said. “You hear it more and more, you start to believe it.”
“And that’s kind of what ended up happening. It’s basically been two years of training from — not just me, but some of the guys that have been here from my rookie year all the way up until now.”
The Dolphins recently signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
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