Miami Dolphins’ Flores addresses Byron Jones injury, Callaway, social justice, Tua, more
News and notes from coach Brian Flores’ session with reporters on Thursday:
▪ There were two eyebrow-raising names on the Dolphins’ first injury report Wednesday. One isn’t a concern, but the other might be.
Cornerback Byron Jones was limited in practice Wednesday with an Achilles injury.
Asked if he will be able to play through it, Flores said: “Byron is working extremely hard to rehab and we will see where he is for game time. It’s been something he’s been dealing with. Working to get out there as quickly as he can. It’s a day-to-day thing. We’ll see.”
The good news is the Dolphins made Jones available to reporters Wednesday (before they released the injury report), and Miami likely would not have done that if he was not going to play.
Meanwhile, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was on the injury report, but that’s only because he’s still receiving treatment for his surgically repaired hip. He practiced fully and is healthy and able to play, according to the Dolphins.
▪ Why did the Dolphins take a chance on suspended receiver Antonio Callaway? He’s on their practice squad but must serve a seven-game suspension, according to the league-owned website. (The league declined to confirm if it’s seven games.)
“We did a lot of work on Antonio,” Flores said. “We felt it was an opportunity to add a talented player, and that’s what we did. We will work with him the next few weeks. When we can, we will work with him and we’ll see where it goes.”
Callaway can attend meetings but cannot practice until the suspension ends.
Callaway’s suspension stems from violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
Callaway — a former standout at Miami Booker T. Washington and the University of Florida — appeared in a combined 20 games and started 13 for the Browns in 2018 and 2019, catching 51 passes for 675 yards and five touchdowns.
▪ In the wake of two Dolphins players saying they are considering what to do Sunday regarding social justice issues, Flores said:
“We have had some conversations as a team. I’m going to keep that internal. I’m going to support every player how ever they want to protest.
“Those conversations are ongoing, and I think the topics they’re talking about are very serious. We respect each guy’s opinion and the right to protest [or] not protest. A lot of guys want to focus on the game. More of the conversations is how we’re going to do whatever we’re going to do and have our total focus on the New England Patriots.”
▪ Flores was asked two pointed Tagovailoa questions that he good-naturedly declined to specifically answer.
Asked if he would be OK if Tagovailoa doesn’t take a snap this season, he said, smiling: “You know how I feel about questions about the entire season. We are going to take it one day at a time. Everybody has to be ready to play. You knock on wood if there are no injuries. There are at several positions... when your number is called, you have to go in and try to be productive. If your number is not called, you have to be ready.”
Asked about how he would deal with the possibility of needing to yank Ryan Fitzpatrick during a game and replace him with Tagovailoa, Flores said:
“Very hypothetical question. It could happen at any position. It’s football, guys get injured, things happen. The guys on the active roster have to be ready to go and Tua is part of that. Specific to pulling someone, it’s no different than if a guy goes down. Next guy has got to be ready. I understand the question to a degree but I want every guy to be ready.”
▪ Flores, asked about three former Patriots being voted Dolphins captains (Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, Ted Karras) and their value, said: “They try to build relationships, are guys who care about those relationships.”
But he also mentioned players like that “who aren’t former Patriots, like Bobby, Fitz, Godchaux” — speaking of Bobby McCain, Fitzpatrick and Davon Godchaux.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 9:00 AM.
