Brian Flores responds to Tua Tagovailoa’s damning comments

Brian Flores has reacted to the explosive allegations that he belittled Tua Tagovailoa when he was head coach of the Dolphins.

Flores coached Tagovailoa in Miami during the quarterback’s first two NFL seasons, in 2020 and ’21, and is now entering his second season as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator.

Earlier this week, Tagovailoa told the “Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz” that Flores repeatedly told him he didn’t belong in the NFL .

Flores responded to the comments from his former quarterback during Vikings media availability on Tuesday.

Brian Flores backed by Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell after Tua Tagovailoa unloads on former Dolphins coach

“I’m genuinely happy for the success that Tua’s had,” Flores said.

“I really wish him nothing but the best. I think player relationships are very important for me. That’s kind of the foundation of coaching, because I was impacted as a young guy by my high school coaches — all the way to Pop Warner.

“I got into coaching because I wanted to make the maximum, positive impact on young people, and help them become the best versions of themselves. That’s really my goal always in coaching.”

Tua Tagovailoa destroys former Dolphins coach Brian Flores: ‘Terrible person’

Last month, Tagovailoa signed a four-year extension with the Dolphins worth up to $212.4 million.

Flores, who was flanked by safety Josh Metellus and defensive tackle Harrison Phillips for support before he gave his comments, said he is “focused” on the Vikings.

“I think there’s things that I could 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 two, three years,” Flores added. “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.”

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On Le Batard’s show, Tagovailoa contrasted Flores with current Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.

“If you woke up every morning and I told you, you sucked 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, you haven’t earned this right,” Tagovailoa said. “Then you have someone else come in and say, ‘Dude, you’re the best fit for this, you are accurate, you’re the best whatever, you are this, you are that.’ How would it make you feel listening to one or the other? You see what I am saying?”

Later in the interview, Tagovailoa referred to Flores as a “terrible person.”

Earlier Tuesday, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell praised Flores for his work in their organization .

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