All Dolphins

Dolphins React to Flores News

Players expressed their appreciation and support for fired Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores

Alain Poupart

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Dolphins players reacted Monday to the firing of head coach Brian Flores, three of them during a Zoom media session and others on Twitter.

Jesse Davis, Christian Wilkins and Jerome Baker all did Zoom media sessions Monday afternoon, and here is what each said:

G/T Jesse Davis: “I think it’s sad. It’s a sad feeling for everybody. Any time that happens it’s kind of unsettling, but it’s a business, and unfortunately we’re all under that circumstance as well, so you just kind of put your best foot forward, and wish everybody good luck, and move on. We all wish ‘Flo’ good luck on everything he does. He’s an awesome coach.”

DT Christian Wilkins: “The thing he preached the most, the thing that is going to stick with me in my head for forever is the mindset of ‘one day at a time, one play at a time.’ That is obviously something he was big on. That’s always something I’m going to remember, just that mindset that he instilled into all of us, instilled into me for my three years working with him which was an honor. Like I said, I think he’s a great coach and a great man and a great person. Just things like that and earning respect; you’re going to have to earn it every day. It’s a week-by-week thing in this league and he just taught me a lot, really. As a coach, he could really coach football well and like I said, I got a lot of respect for him.”

LB Jerome Baker: “I think once you get to know him and get to feel him out – he plays that ‘got to stay focused, got to – that mentality, but he’s a great guy. At the end of the day he wanted you to be the best player you could be, and that’s really what it is. Not just be the best player, but also just be the best person you can be, and that’s all you can really ask for. He truly just wanted us to do well and wanted us to just win games and be great people, and that’s unfortunate that he’s gone now.”

And here's a sampling of player reaction on Twitter:

Then Monday evening, defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander offered his appreciation for Flores.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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