AFC Notes: Drake Maye, Aaron Rodgers, Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

When appeared on the Dan LeBatard Show, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa had harsh words for former HC and current Vikings DC Brian Flores, saying the coach would berate and criticize him as a player.

“To put it in simplest terms, 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 there, 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. Like, you are accurate, you are the best whatever, you are this, you are that.’ Like, how would it make you feel listening to one or the other? You see what I’m saying? And then you hear it, you hear it. Regardless of what it is, the good or the bad. And you hear it more and more, you start to actually believe that. I don’t care who you are. You could be the president of the United States. If you have a terrible person that’s telling you things you don’t want to hear, or that you probably shouldn’t be hearing, you’re gonna start to believe that about yourself,” Tagovailoa said. 

Flores responded to Tagovailoa’s interview, saying he did a lot of reflecting on how they operated in Miami.

“I think, you know, part of coaching is correcting, you know, I’m always gonna correct,” Flores said. “I’m always gonna have a high standard. And I think, you know, look, I’ve done a lot of reflecting and — on this situation . . . reflecting on the situation, communication, you know, 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 can do better and the things that I’ve learned over the last 2-3 years. 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. Players, coaches, personnel, equipment, you know, people in the kitchen, really across the board. I’ve had a lot of great relationships. I’m going to continue to do that. But I’m also always looking to get better and evolve.”

As for Tagovailoa calling Flores a “horrible person,” Flores reiterated how he’s tried to learn as a coach. 

“Look, I’m human,” Flores said. “So, you know, that hit me in a way that wasn’t — I wouldn’t say it was positive for me. But at the same time, I’ve got to use that and say, ‘Hey, how can I grow from that? How can I be better?’ And that’s really where I’m at from that standpoint. Do I feel like that’s me? No. But, you know, how can I grow from that situation and create a world where that’s not, you know, the case that anyone says that about Brian Flores.”

Jets

The Jets moved on from QB Zach Wilson in the offseason and signed QB Tyrod Taylor as the team’s backup. New York QB Aaron Rodgers has enjoyed having another veteran in the room and discussed how Taylor has helped him. 

“It’s been a lot of fun having a backup who’s in his mid-30s,” Rodgers said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “It helps having a guy who has played so much because he can see things through a different lens, because he’s been around for so long. He has no obligation to do that for me; he’s just a great teammate. So we both help each other out.

“It’s like a shared understanding of sincerity that we just both really want the other person to see what we’re seeing. So if he says something to me, I take it as gospel because he knows what he’s talking about and he knows [it’s the] same for me.”

Patriots

Patriots HC Jerod Mayo said first-round QB Drake Maye has been “steady” in practice and they plan on giving him more reps this week. 

“He’s been steady,” Mayo said, via ProFootballTalk. “I think if I was to say one word, it’s steady. He’s always in the building, always studying. He’s out here trying to get better each and every day. He’ll get more reps this week if that’s the underlying question. He’ll get more reps this week, believe me.”