Brian Flores responds to claims of Tua Tagovailoa rift

In the aftermath of the Miami Dolphins’ firing of Brian Flores, one narrative was that he was not committed to Tua Tagovailoa as the team’s quarterback. Flores is now pushing back against that narrative.

In an appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, Flores maintained there was never a rift between himself and Tagovailoa, though the two did challenge each other.

“This is an interesting topic, because it wasn’t strained,” Flores said. “We had a good relationship. It was a player-coach relationship. And I think in a relationship like that, the coach challenges the player, and oftentimes the player challenges the coach. And I think there was a great deal of respect between the two of us. So you hear this crazy kind of narrative that’s out there. But this is a young man who works, who developed and got better over two years, and I think he’s got a bright future. I wish him all the best.”

Reports after Flores’ firing indicated that the coach had some heated exchanges with his quarterback. Ultimately, they may not have been anything out of the ordinary or that big a deal within the locker room. That said, Flores also never shied away from his interest in another quarterback, which also fueled these rumors.

Photo: Dec 19, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores runs off the field after winning the game against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports