Moments after leading the Miami Dolphins to a comeback victory in his second career NFL start, Tua Tagovailoa showed his appreciation for a coach who believed in him as his rookie season begins to take shape.
Before doing a postgame interview on the field, Tagovailoa handed Brian Flores the game ball, insisting the second-year Dolphins coach who named him starter and had a hand in drafting him fifth overall earlier this year, own the keepsake.
“I saw Flo, and Flo was waiting, and I had the game ball. And when I went up to him, it was just one of those, I don’t know, for me, it was ‘thank you for taking a shot on me,’ ” Tagovailoa said Wednesday about the heartfelt interaction captured by NFL Films after Miami’s win over the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.