Tua Tagovailoa goes nuclear over former Dolphins HC Brian Flores’ behavior

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa knows what it is like to be coached hard. Having played for Nick Saban and Bill Belichick disciple Brian Flores, he has walked into many evaluations over the years.

However, speaking on Monday's edition of the "Dan LeBatard Show," Tagovailoa viciously pulled the curtain back on Flores' style.

"If you woke up every morning and I told you 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," Tagovailoa said.

"Then you have someone else come in and tell you, ‘Dude, you’re the best fit for this. You’re accurate, you’re this, you’re that.’ How would it make you feel listening to one or the other?"

In other words, he claimed that Flores cut him down when possible and coach Mike McDaniel built him up positively.

Tua Tagovailoa's comments shed light on his unconventional rookie season that saw him repeatedly get swapped out with Ryan Fitzpatrick. They also arguably change the perception of Flores to be much more open to conflict, considering his lawsuit against several NFL teams placed around the time of his firing.

Of course, one could argue that Flores inherited the coaching style from Bill Belichick. However, former Belichick disciple Jerod Mayo puts forth a much more Mike McDaniel-esque coaching style in terms of personality. One could argue that Las Vegas Raiders coach, who also comes from the New England Patriots' school of thought, doesn't have that same demeanor.

As such, while some coaches draw styles and schemes from their time from Belichick, one arguably cannot credit him for how his disciples coach in totality. Some of his former assistant coaches moved on to be harsh disciplinarians like Josh McDaniels and Brian Flores, while some went on to be player-coaches.

While Belichick undoubtedly left marks on Flores and all of his other coaches, every single choice, decision and style choice likely cannot be credited to Belichick.

Tua Tagovailoa's statistics under Mike McDaniel vs Brian Flores

Brian Flores at New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings - Source: Getty

With a decent sample size under both head coaches now accessible, one can argue that Tagovailoa has meshed better with McDaniel.

Tua Tagovailoa went 13-8 in two years with Flores, throwing for 27 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Following two years with McDaniel, he has thrown for 54 touchdowns and 22 interceptions while going 19-11. This indicates a clear boost with McDaniel.

Of course, this doesn't take into account the addition of Tyreek Hill and other notable boosts like Tua Tagovailoa's greater experience in 2022 compared to 2023. At this point, the only way fans may know for certain will be in a few years when Hill declines, and only if Mike McDaniel remains the head coach.

If any of the above quotes are used, credit the "Dan LeBatard Show" and H/T Sportskeeda.