The NFL community has been abuzz lately with the unfolding saga between Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and his former head coach, Brian Flores. The drama has stemmed from Tagovailoa's recent critical comments about Flores, which have drawn intense scrutiny across the league.
Tagovailoa's Struggles Under Flores
Selected fifth overall by the Dolphins in the 2020 NFL Draft, Tagovailoa entered the league with significant expectations. However, his early years with the Dolphins were marked by a fraught relationship with Brian Flores, who was the head coach at the time. Reports emerged that Flores had preferred Justin Herbert over Tagovailoa during the 2020 NFL Draft, with Dolphins GM Chris Grier ultimately making the choice to draft Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa's NFL debut came in a Week 6 showdown against the New York Jets in 2020, but he didn’t start until Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams. Following his staggered entry into the league, Tagovailoa faced several in-game substitutions under Flores, notably being replaced by veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos in Week 11 and again in Week 16 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Turmoil and Transition
The following 2021 season was no less turbulent, with rumors of the Dolphins’ interest in trading for Deshaun Watson further destabilizing the quarterback situation. Despite Tagovailoa’s efforts, Flores' tenure ended in January 2022 after a 9-8 season.
Reflecting on his time under Flores, Tagovailoa said, “To put it in the simplest terms, if you woke up every morning and I told you that you suck at what you did, that you don’t belong doing what you do, that you shouldn’t be here, that this guy should be here, that you haven’t earned this. And then you have somebody else come in and tell you, ‘Dude, you are the best fit for this. You’re accurate. You’re the best whatever, you’re this, you’re that.’ How would it make you feel listening to one or the other?”
Brian Flores, now a linebackers coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers, acknowledged the weight of these comments. “Look, I’m human. So that hit me in a way that wasn’t positive for me. But at the same time, I’ve got to use that and say, ‘Hey, how can I grow from that? 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 that anyone says that about Brian Flores?”
A Fresh Chapter Under Mike McDaniel
The appointment of Mike McDaniel as the new head coach marked a turning point for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins. Under McDaniel’s guidance, Tagovailoa flourished, leading the NFL in passer rating in 2022 and topping the league in passing yards in 2023. “We’re gonna have an extensive professional relationship, my man. One thing I know about you is, you have the ambition to be great. My job is to coach you to get all that greatness out of you… This is an awesome day for me, and I’m damn sure gonna make sure that when you look back on this day, you’re gonna be like, ‘Damn, that was one of the best days of my career, too.’ But I’ll earn that from you, you got me?” McDaniel expressed.
Tagovailoa’s renewed confidence and performance did not go unnoticed, culminating in his first Pro Bowl selection. Reflecting on the transformation within the team, he remarked, “I just feel like there are so many things that have happened. There are a lot of changes, and a lot of good changes, I guess, with the people that we've picked up and the guys that we've acquired as well. The locker room feels different.”
The change in coaching philosophy and the subsequent support from the top had an undeniable impact. “I think support for any of us as players means a lot. We understand that the NFL is a tough industry. It’s tough to play because you’re playing against the best every Sunday. But to be able to have support of the head coach, the head guy, that should tell you a lot,” Tagovailoa added.
As the Dolphins continue under McDaniel's leadership, the transformation within the team appears not just confined to the stat sheets but reflected in the renewed spirit and confidence of their franchise quarterback.