Vikings DC Brian Flores responds to comments by Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, says he’s grown

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores says he’s happy for his former quarterback and is now ready to turn the page after the sharp comments that were made toward him on Monday.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, talking on the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on Monday, called Flores a “terrible person” and said he tore him down daily when Flores coached the Dolphins in 2020 and 2021.

Related: Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa doesn't mince words about Vikings' Brian Flores

During his media session on Tuesday, Flores addressed Tagovailoa’s comments.

"I’m genuinely happy, genuinely happy for the success that Tua’s had and I really wish him nothing but the best,” Flores said. “Player relationships are very important to me, I think that’s kind of the foundation of coaching. I got into coaching because I was impacted as a young guy by my high school coaches, my college coaches, going all the way to Pop Warner. I got into coaching because I want to make that same kind of impact, positive impact, pour into young people, help them become, as (Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell) says all the time, the best versions of themselves, and that’s really my goal always in coach, so I wish nothing but the best of Tua.”

It was pretty apparent that Flores didn’t have a lot of confidence in Tagovailoa during their time together, opting to start veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick over the youngster multiple times, although Tagovailoa was also injured several times. Still, it was surprising to see the Dolphins quarterback’s comments.

Flores noted Tuesday that, “Part of coaching is correcting, I’m always going to correct, I’m always going to have a high standard.” While he didn’t get into details about coaching Tagovailoa, he admitted there are areas in which he has tried to improve since that time, but he also pointed to the many other relationships he’s built during in his career.

“I’ve done a lot of reflecting on the situation and … reflecting on the situation and communication, I think there’s things that I can do better, for sure, and I’ve grown in that way and I’ve tried to apply the things that I could do better and the things that I’ve learned over the last 2-3 years,” Flores said, but I would say, over the long haul, I’ve had a lot of great relationships over my 21-year career here in the league. Players, coaches, personnel, equipment, people in the kitchen, really across the board, I’ve had a lot of great relationships and I’m gonna continue to do that but I’m also always looking to get better and evolve. No different than as a coach, whether it’s schematics or personnel or evaluations, I’m always looking to get better, I’m always looking for dialogue in meetings, with coaches, with players, you know, I don’t care where the good idea comes from, you guys have heard me say that, and I’m open to getting better and that’s always my mindset.”

He even highlighted a couple of Vikings veterans, Josh Metellus and Harrison Phillips, who stood nearby for the start of his presser on Tuesday, saying their support and friendship means a lot to him.

“I’ve gotten a lot of support from a lot of people, in this building and other buildings as well. I was flooded with text messages yesterday so that’s nice but at the same time, this is a team sport, I don’t ever want it to be about anything that’s specific to me,” Flores said.

As for Tua’s comment that Flores is a terrible person, Minnesota’s defensive coordinator said it wasn’t nice to hear but he’s focused on growing.

“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?”

Finally, Flores was asked if he has considered reaching out or getting together with Tagovailoa to bury the hatchet. While he said it’s something he’s open to, it doesn’t sound like that might be happening soon.

“You know, that’s something that I’ve thought about, and maybe when that time arises or is available, I’m certainly open to that but I gotta lot of other things going on too, as he does, and, again, I’m really just focused on the guys here and the work we’re putting in here.”

After answering several questions about it on Tuesday, Flores said he’s now ready to turn the page and keep the focus on his current Vikings players.

For fans who are wondering, the Vikings and Dolphins don’t face each other in the regular season, meaning they’d have to both reach the Super Bowl for that matchup to happen.