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Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores addressed the controversy surrounding his relationship with Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after the NFL player blasted his former coach, calling him a "terrible person."
Speaking to the media a day after Tagovailoa’s remarks were aired on Monday, Flores raised the issue himself.
Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at practice. (Susan Stocker/South Florida/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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"Look, I’m happy, genuinely happy for the success Tua’s had. And I really wish him nothing but the best," Flores began, adding that he got into coaching more than two decades ago because of the impact good relationships with coaches had on him.
"I think player relationships are very important to me. I think that’s the foundation of coaching… I wish nothing but the best to Tua. Really more than anything, I’m just focused on the Vikings, the 2024 Vikings, the players we have."
In an interview that aired Monday on "The Dan LeBatard Show," Tagovailoa did not hide his contempt for Flores.
Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks on in the second half during a game against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images)
TUA TAGOVAILOA THROWS SHADE AT OLD DOLPHINS COACH BRIAN FLORES AS HE PRAISES MIKE MCDANIEL
"To put it in simplest terms, if you woke up every morning and I told you 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 right. ... And then you have somebody else come in and tell you, ‘Dude, you are the best fit for us, you are accurate, you are the best.’ How would it make you feel listening to one or the other?"
"I don’t care who you are. You can be the president of the United States," he continued. "You have a terrible person that’s telling you things that you don’t want to hear or that you probably shouldn't ever hear, you're going to start to believe that about yourself. And so that’s sort of like what ended up happening."
When asked if he agreed with the quarterback’s remarks, Flores said he’s "reflected" on the situation.
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. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
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"I think part of coaching is correcting. I’m always going to correct. I’m always going to have a high standard. Look, I’ve done a lot of reflecting on this situation and communication. I think there’s things I could do better, for sure, and I’ve grown in that way. And I’ve tried to apply the things I could do better and the things that I’ve learned over the last 2-3 years. But I would say over the long haul, I’ve had a lot of great relationships over my 21-year career here."
Flores added that hearing him be called a "horrible person" wasn’t "positive for me."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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