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By STEVEN WINE, AP Sports activities Author
MIAMI (AP) — Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores says he regrets that his gamers came upon in regards to the staff’s swap to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa by way of social media moderately than from him.
And Flores says the choice to bench in style veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick was tough.
“Fitz has performed an important job,” Flores stated Wednesday. “He has been productive. His management has been nice. However we felt like for the staff now, shifting ahead, this can be a transfer we have to make.”
Tagovailoa, the fifth decide within the April draft, will make his first NFL begin on Nov. 1 in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams after the Dolphins’ bye this week.
Information of the change leaked Tuesday.
“The one factor on this scenario that’s unlucky is that I didn’t get an opportunity to handle the staff earlier than this was out within the media,” Flores stated. “It is not the way in which I or we wish to do enterprise. Sadly, it is sort of the way in which of the world proper now.
“I am not blissful about that in any respect. I will handle that to the staff, and actually apologize to them that they needed to discover out by way of social media. I don’t assume that’s honest to them.”
The timing of Tagovailoa’s promotion was stunning as a result of the Dolphins (3-3) have gained their previous two video games by a mixed rating of 67-17.
The 37-year-old Fitzpatrick, who’s in his second season together with his eighth NFL staff, has been characteristically inconsistent. He’s fifth within the the league in completion share however third in interceptions with seven.
He’s additionally beloved by teammates and coaches.
“Fitz has been nice for the final 12 months and a half,” Flores stated. “I don’t know if there was anyone extra instrumental in making an attempt to instill the tradition that we’re on the lookout for. He has made an affect on Tua and a whole lot of different gamers on this staff. I’ve an important respect for him, and that made this choice very robust.”
Even so, it was a call anticipated for the reason that day Miami drafted Tagovailoa as a possible franchise quarterback.
The rookie performed throughout mop-up time final week, his first motion since struggling a severe hip harm final November that ended his Alabama profession. The cancellation of offseason drills and exhibition video games due to the coronavirus slowed his NFL growth, and two weeks in the past, Flores stated Tagovailoa wasn’t prepared to begin.
“He has gotten extra comfy,” Flores stated. “Accuracy, decision-making, all these issues have been good in apply. Observe could be very completely different from video games, however we’re comfy and assured he’ll have the ability to be aggressive.”
Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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