Brian Flores’ blunt talk to Miami Dolphins players on COVID-19, saving football season
Want to have a football season? Don’t be a nitwit.
That, in so many words, is Brian Flores’ warning to his Miami Dolphins players as the strangest of training camps begin.
Flores, speaking to reporters Wednesday for the first time since players reported to camp, explicitly spelled out what will be expected of his team, if they have any hopes of starting and completing the season as scheduled:
“For a player individually, they are going to have a responsibility to themselves, to this team — to make some sacrifices in the building and outside of the building,” Flores said. “If we don’t make the right decisions, if we’re in bars and in crowded restaurants and in concerts, the likelihood of us bringing the virus into the building is very high.
“If we don’t do those things and we distance and we quarantine in our homes or hotels or whatever then the likelihood goes down significantly. That’s pretty simple. That’s the message that we’ve given to the players.”
Considering the still dangerously high levels of COVID-19 circulating South Florida — and much of the country — it might be the team’s only chance.
The Marlins’ season has already been derailed by a massive outbreak, and the risk of spread in football is even higher than baseball.
“I think it just speaks to how quickly the virus can spread,” Flores said of the Marlins’ outbreak. “And it appears if you’re not wearing a mask and distancing and taking the precautions, it can spread quickly. I think that was evident with the Marlins, and I think it was just an opportunity for us all to learn and see it actually happen.”
The NFL, like MLB, doesn’t have a bubble.
For the next month, many players will be kept from friends, family and temptations. They have the option to be housed in the team hotel throughout training camp. But currently league rules don’t allow for that set-up all season.
So at some point, they will move back home. And that’s when the risk of spread will rise significantly.
In response, the team has retrofitted its Davie headquarters to be as disease-proof as possible. COVID-19 inspired changes to the Dolphins facility include: a new (second) locker room, Plexiglas between each locker, hand sanitizers placed throughout the building, mask and distancing mandates and an enhanced weight room.
“I understand the bubble, but at the end of the day it’s all the same — it’s making the right choices, being responsible, making smart decisions,” Flores said. “It’s not just the players — it’s players, coaches, support staff. It’s all of us. One person can bring in the virus, and it can spread like wildfire. We all understand that. Each one of us has a responsibility.
“If you enter the facility, you have a responsibility to the other 150-180-200 other people who are in the facility. We need to be smart and make good decisions. Our guys understand that. You can be smart and make all good decisions and it still might not work out because that’s just how this is. we’d all have peace of mind and knowing that we’ve done everything possible that we can do individually and if we do that what else can we ask for the people in this organization.”
There was some football discussed during Wednesday’s 20-minute briefing. Among the biggest nonpandemic news Flores made:
▪ Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is eight months removed from major hip surgery, has been cleared to participate and will do so when practices begin in the coming weeks. For now, he will go through meetings and conditioning like any other active player.
“We’re going to ask to do the same as every other player. To come in every day, having gone over the install the night before, mentally prepare to go out there and practice, physically prepare to go out there and try to improve every day.
“I know there’s a lot of people wanting to talk about Tua. I understand it. But at the same time, he’s a young player. This is his first NFL training camp. He’s got to take it one day at a time, and not think about what’s realistic for the season.”
▪ Cornerback Xavien Howard’s target date to return from a significant knee injury might be unclear even for the Dolphins.
Howard begins training camp on the physically unable to perform list — eight months after surgery — and Flores said he “can’t put a timetable” on Howard’s return.
“He’s been rehabbing really the entire summer. He’s making a lot of progress. He’ll be back as soon as he can.”
▪ As of Wednesday morning, the Dolphins had no players opt out of the 2020 season over COVID-19 concerns.
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 11:20 AM.
