Tua Tagovailoa Breaks Silence on What Went Wrong With Former Dolphins HC Brian Flores

Suresh Menon | 19/08/2024
Tua Tagovailoa Breaks Silence on What Went Wrong With Former Dolphins HC Brian Flores

Tua Tagovailoa evolved into a different type of quarterback following Brian Flores’ exit in 2022. From his passing ratings to his confidence, Tua made significant strides under Mike McDaniel. Beyond the system change, many had cited the strained relationship between Flores and Tua as a reason for the QB’s poor stats at the time. After years of speculations, we now finally have a confirmation that the rumors were indeed true.

In his appearance on “The Dan Le Batard Show”, Tua finally opened up about his troubled relationship with former HC Flores. According to the QB, his biggest gripe with Flores was the barrage of negativity that the HC directed toward him.

Tua also reminisced about how he was subjected to constant demotivating remarks and frequent questioning of his place on the team by Flores. He noted that, as a rookie, these comments were too negative coming from the head coach, which ultimately led to the breakdown of their relationship.

“To put it in simplest terms; If you woke up every morning and I told you, ‘You suck at what you did — you don’t belong doing what you do — you shouldn’t be here. This guy should be here; you haven’t earned this right.’”

In contrast, Tua revealed that HC Mike McDaniel has been a breath of fresh air and motivation. The Dolphins star noted that a part of his success in Mike’s regime goes to the immense positivity and affirmation that he imparts.

That said, the QB’s revelations have already sparked a heated debate among Dolphins fans. While some resonate with him on a personal level, others have taken to social media, urging their star player to develop a thicker skin.

Netizens divided over Flores following Tagovailoa’s revelations

The internet can be a harsh place, especially for celebrities or athletes earning millions per year. Netizens often judge these public figures very harshly, and Tua was no exception. Despite allegedly facing immense negativity and demoralizing comments from Flores, the Dolphins QB received no special treatment from online critics.

From urging Tua to develop a thicker skin to labeling him as ‘soft’ for speaking out, a significant portion of fans ridiculed Tagovailoa’s issues with Flores. Some netizens also sided with Flores, arguing that Tua did not perform well enough at the time to warrant better treatment.

On the other side of the spectrum were Dolphins fans who went into overdrive defending Tua from the criticism. They urged fellow netizens to consider the issue from a human perspective.

A few Dolphins faithful also reminded others that Tua was no stranger to tough love, having played under Nick Saban. So, they argued that Flores must have done something exceptionally serious to affect Tua so profoundly.

That said, fans and Tua should now let bygones be bygones. Flores is now far from the Dolphins setup and seems to be enjoying his time at Minnesota.

For now, the QB should have his sights set on the Super Bowl, having recently signed a 4-year, $212 million contract.

Post Edited By: Samnur Reza
Brian Flores Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa

About the author

Suresh Menon

Suresh Menon is an NFL writer at The SportsRush with over 700 articles to his name. Early in his childhood, Suresh grew up admiring the famed BBC of Juventus making the Italian club his favorite. His love for soccer however soon translated to American football when he came across a Super Bowl performance from his Favourite Bruno Mars. Tom Brady’s performance in the finals left an imprint on him and since then, he has been a die hard Brady fan. Thus his love for the sport combined with his flair for communication is the reason why he decided to pursue sports journalism at The SportsRush. Beyond football, in his free time, he is a podcast host and likes spending time solving the Rubik’s cube.

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