Brian Flores - Tua Tagovailoa's words hit hard, wish QB the best - ESPN

EAGAN, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores took a conciliatory tone Tuesday toward Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, a day after the publication of an interview in which Tagovailoa called Flores a «terrible person.»

«I'm genuinely, genuinely happy for the success that Tua has had,» Flores said, «and I really wish him nothing but the best.»

Flores was the Dolphins' head coach for Tagovailoa's first two seasons in Miami from 2020 to '21. He was fired in January 2022 amid speculation that his relationship with Tagovailoa was strained.

In an interview that took place last week with «The Dan LeBatard Show,» an excerpt of which was aired Monday, Tagovailoa compared Flores' coaching style with that of current coach Mike McDaniel. «If you woke up every morning and I told you [that] 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 this,'» he said in the interview. «How would it make you feel listening to one or the other...»

Flores responded Tuesday by speaking about Tagovailoa for much of a previously scheduled news conference that lasted nearly 17 minutes. Vikings safety Josh Metellus and defensive lineman Harrison Phillips flanked Flores as he began speaking, a show of support that Flores said, «meant a lot.»

His voice shaking at times, Flores seemed to acknowledge that his coaching style might not have hit well with some players in Miami and indicated he has worked to improve over the ensuing three seasons.

«I think part of coaching is correcting,» Flores said. «I'm always going to correct. I'm