Dolphins fire HC Brian Flores

[Trojan]

I feel like a lot of the people have it backwards and Flores wanted Tua, and Grier/Ross want Watson. The GM/Owner can't explicitly say that as they have to shop Tua first and acquire Watson otherwise they overpay.

“I think with any player on our team or any person in our organization, there is a standard,” Flores said. “We have high standards for the people we have in the organization. I don’t get into last strikes for anything. We want people with high character throughout the building. That’s what we’re looking for.” - Brian Flores
( source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/as-deshaun-watson-rumors-swirl-dolphins-coach-brian-flores-says-he-wants-players-with-high-character/ar-AANUxDw )

That was end of September, by the start of November Ross was personally calling Watson asking him to settle his cases. If relationships were soured it's GM/Owner and HC given the two fired the one, and the one said he wanted high character guys and took the job on an obvious (at the time everyone said) Tank for Tua season, he outcoached the tank and picked 5th and still got Tua (who would have been on his radar as a reason to take the job initially) because Tua got hurt. That draft was the COVID no combine no meetings all digital ones. Tua was a guy that would have obviously been on all of their radars at Flores' hiring. Flores would naturally dislike that the owner and GM constantly pursued Watson which was both a major distraction and goes against the high character statement he made. The issue with Tua is offensive line in a major major way and that is a massive issue with team building to not address the hell out of it to protect the QB they all took off a hip injury, I would think that would frustrate a coach... then the front office is willing to commit insane assets to a Watson trade. I get Watson would have liked to play for Flores, but that doesn't mean Flores wanted Watson -- what would make sense is Flores wanting assets spent on an OL based on watching any Dolphins game. I don't think Flores necessarily was 100% sold on Tua, but I don't think he would have viewed him as the issue and would not have wanted Watson with questions behind a non existent OL. You'd have to think Fuller would sour Flores a bit too as a mini-Watson connection that essentially quit the entire season off a broken finger while costing 10mil that once again could have potentially been OL. The OL Grier traded for Flores is Isaiah Wilson for another character concern issue.

edit: also people expect the Texans to actually move Watson soonish now, and this was a road block for Miami to make that move makes the move make more sense.

Edited January 10, 2022 by Trojan

[WheatieMan]

Shocking fire... NFL needs to conduct and diversity and inclusion ethics study over there if they want their initiative to be taken seriously. 

Edited January 10, 2022 by WheatieMan

[Thelonebillsfan]

He'll have another HC job within 2 weeks.

[BullsandBroncos]

George Paton will hire him I hope. Not many other coaches could have winning records with that offense

Edited January 10, 2022 by BullsandBroncos

[TheKillerNacho]

52 minutes ago, Trojan said:

I feel like a lot of the people have it backwards and Flores wanted Tua, and Grier/Ross want Watson. The GM/Owner can't explicitly say that as they have to shop Tua first and acquire Watson otherwise they overpay.

“I think with any player on our team or any person in our organization, there is a standard,” Flores said. “We have high standards for the people we have in the organization. I don’t get into last strikes for anything. We want people with high character throughout the building. That’s what we’re looking for.” - Brian Flores
( source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/as-deshaun-watson-rumors-swirl-dolphins-coach-brian-flores-says-he-wants-players-with-high-character/ar-AANUxDw )

That was end of September, by the start of November Ross was personally calling Watson asking him to settle his cases. If relationships were soured it's GM/Owner and HC given the two fired the one, and the one said he wanted high character guys and took the job on an obvious (at the time everyone said) Tank for Tua season, he outcoached the tank and picked 5th and still got Tua (who would have been on his radar as a reason to take the job initially) because Tua got hurt. That draft was the COVID no combine no meetings all digital ones. Tua was a guy that would have obviously been on all of their radars at Flores' hiring. Flores would naturally dislike that the owner and GM constantly pursued Watson which was both a major distraction and goes against the high character statement he made. The issue with Tua is offensive line in a major major way and that is a massive issue with team building to not address the hell out of it to protect the QB they all took off a hip injury, I would think that would frustrate a coach... then the front office is willing to commit insane assets to a Watson trade. I get Watson would have liked to play for Flores, but that doesn't mean Flores wanted Watson -- what would make sense is Flores wanting assets spent on an OL based on watching any Dolphins game. I don't think Flores necessarily was 100% sold on Tua, but I don't think he would have viewed him as the issue and would not have wanted Watson with questions behind a non existent OL. You'd have to think Fuller would sour Flores a bit too as a mini-Watson connection that essentially quit the entire season off a broken finger while costing 10mil that once again could have potentially been OL. The OL Grier traded for Flores is Isaiah Wilson for another character concern issue.

edit: also people expect the Texans to actually move Watson soonish now, and this was a road block for Miami to make that move makes the move make more sense.

Considering one of the main reasons Watson was willing to wave his no-trade clause for Miami was to be with Flores, I'd have to say no, most people have it right. Moreover, Flores was constantly hesitant to back Tua. Grier, on the other hand, drafted Tua and was thus invested in the 5th overall's success more than anyone.

Ultimately this is likely more than just Tua. Flores was likely frustrated with the offensive talent being drafted and Grier was frustrated that his offensive talent (Tua included) wasn't being developed to his satisfaction. Ross seems to have sided with Grier.

That isn't to say whether or not Ross still wants Watson or not... who knows. But the man with more invested into Tua's success survived, and the guy who Watson wanted to play for is no longer here.

[biggie.]

16 minutes ago, BullsandBroncos said:

George Paton will hire him I hope. Not many other coaches could have winning records with that offense

Denver might want to go with an offensive guy after whiffing with Joseph and Fangio.

[Trojan]

34 minutes ago, TheKillerNacho said:

Considering one of the main reasons Watson was willing to wave his no-trade clause for Miami was to be with Flores, I'd have to say no, most people have it right. Moreover, Flores was constantly hesitant to back Tua. Grier, on the other hand, drafted Tua and was thus invested in the 5th overall's success more than anyone.

Ultimately this is likely more than just Tua. Flores was likely frustrated with the offensive talent being drafted and Grier was frustrated that his offensive talent (Tua included) wasn't being developed to his satisfaction. Ross seems to have sided with Grier.

That isn't to say whether or not Ross still wants Watson or not... who knows. But the man with more invested into Tua's success survived, and the guy who Watson wanted to play for is no longer here.

All that is Watson sided though, just because Watson wanted to play for Flores doesn't mean it goes two ways. Some team told Brady no and lead to Brady saying the "I can't believe they are sticking with ___" or whatever the quote was. The only people known to have contacted Watson are GM in discussions to trade for him and the owner who called him. The only Flores to Watson connection I see is Deshaun said he'd play for him if traded.

edit: Watson also wanted Eric Bienemy. What if that came out during trade negotiations and the Dolphins plan on getting Watson the coach he wants that wants him?

Edited January 10, 2022 by Trojan

[Ragnarok]

Miami is a dumb organization.

[BigTrav]

Lombardi says it’s because he wasn’t a Tua guy, and Greer really is

[BigTrav]

1 hour ago, WheatieMan said:

Shocking fire... NFL needs to conduct and diversity and inclusion ethics study over there if they want their initiative to be taken seriously. 

Yawn

[TheKillerNacho]

18 minutes ago, Trojan said:

All that is Watson sided though, just because Watson wanted to play for Flores doesn't mean it goes two ways. Some team told Brady no and lead to Brady saying the "I can't believe they are sticking with ___" or whatever the quote was. The only people known to have contacted Watson are GM in discussions to trade for him and the owner who called him. The only Flores to Watson connection I see is Deshaun said he'd play for him if traded.

edit: Watson also wanted Eric Bienemy. What if that came out during trade negotiations and the Dolphins plan on getting Watson the coach he wants that wants him?

Not all of that is Watson-sided.

Flores also showed a constant lack of committal for Tua through his tenure. He avoided questions regarding Tua (and Watson), while pulling Tua a handful of times in his rookie season, while taking him off the field on certain plays for Jacoby Brisett in this one. He also chose to start Brissett versus the Ravens despite Tua being healthy (a choice that was eventually corrected due to Brisett's struggles).

Then there is the reports from sources close to Tua that suggest he had a strained relationship with Flores.

 

While one can't be completely certain without being in the building, all the signs point to Flores being perhaps the least thrilled with Tua being the QB.

[Trojan]

3 minutes ago, TheKillerNacho said:

Not all of that is Watson-sided.

Flores also showed a constant lack of committal for Tua through his tenure. He avoided questions regarding Tua (and Watson), while pulling Tua a handful of times in his rookie season, while taking him off the field on certain plays for Jacoby Brisett in this one. He also chose to start Brissett versus the Ravens despite Tua being healthy (a choice that was eventually corrected due to Brisett's struggles).

Then there is the reports from sources close to Tua that suggest he had a strained relationship with Flores.

 

While one can't be completely certain without being in the building, all the signs point to Flores being perhaps the least thrilled with Tua being the QB.

Tua was intended to not start his rookie year because of the hip, he was developmentally delayed and was pulled in situations where potential playoff chances were on the line. He still played Tua which shows confidence in him. Flores made numerous statements about protecting players from themselves.

Tua had a broken finger or something in the Jacoby starts this year.

I guess we will see based off the offseason.

[FinSting]

33 minutes ago, Ragnarok said:

Miami is a dumb organization.

OTOH, the team with most salary cap for next season is Miami. That alone could attract a top-notch coach. 

It's time to win that Free Agency trophy...

[Billy86]

This might be the worst firing in recent memory, it's amazing how quickly Miami seem to have forgotten that they were widely being tipped as an 0-16 contender at the start of last year. 

How in the hell do you fire a guy who just won 8 of his last 9 games, even with the awful start? It's actually kind of amazing, and (sorry dolphins fans but...) I would love to see them fail go get more than 4 wins for the next several years now. They would deserve it. 

[MrOaktown_56]

I don't want to live in a world where joe judge keeps his job and flores gets fired. i don't want to say it, but we're all thinking it let's be honest.