Dolphins’ Brian Flores hopes players, coaches can balance health, family and safety during Thanksgiving

Brian Flores says his family will have both turkey and ham during their Thanksgiving dinner.

Sadly, this is not a year where the Miami Dolphins coach is extending invitations to his house.

Flores, whose Dolphins (6-4) will travel to face the winless New York Jets (0-10) on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, hopes his players and coaches can limit their contact with others during Thanksgiving on Thursday to steer away from any future COVID-19 positive tests that may interfere with their season.

But first: some appreciation.

“I’m thankful for health. I think the first thing that came to mind is I’m thankful for my wife, who puts up with my nonsense on a daily basis, handles our household and a great mother to our kids and a great wife and everything. She’s the first person that comes to mind and my family,” Flores said of his wife Jennifer and their children, sons Miles and Maxwell and daughter Liliana.

“I’m thankful to be the head coach of this team,” he added. “I’m very blessed. My life could’ve gone in a few different ways, and to be sitting in this position, I’m thankful for it.”

Secondly, the Thanksgiving menu.

Flores says his late mother, Maria, was the star of Thanksgiving meals. Luckily for him, his wife learned a few of his mother’s recipes so he’ll get to experience some nostalgia while filling his belly.

“We’re a turkey and ham family, so you’ll see both on the table. You know my mom, this was her holiday. Jenny stole a few of her recipes so I still get a little taste of mom’s cooking on Thanksgiving,” Flores said.

“We’re a turkey, ham, stuffing, potatoes, and greens. There’s always a lot on the table. There’s always too much.”

Now, the more pressing issue: COVID-19 during the holiday.

And how the Dolphins hope to overcome their situation with Sunday’s game approaching, as Miami hopes to get back to its winning ways after a five-game win streak ended in Denver last Sunday.

Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins returned to practice on Wednesday. He missed the first two games of his career after being placed on the COVID-19 list on Nov. 12.

Dolphins starter Jesse Davis, a versatile offensive lineman who has played at three positions this season, landed on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list Monday after he played in the loss to the Broncos and flew home with the team.

The Dolphins did not place any other players, who may have encountered Davis, on the reserve list Tuesday.

The Dolphins’ coaching staff is also back to full strength after four coaches missed two games prior to the Broncos loss.

“We take the tracing and the spacing and the distance and the mask wearing, we take it very seriously,” Flores said. “Whether that’s on the bus, or on the plane or in the building, I think the intensive protocol helps in that. We only see them during practice. Everything is virtual. We work with the league and talk about exactly who’s in and who’s out, things of that nature.”

Flores, who is used to at least 30 to 40 people at his Thanksgiving gatherings, hopes his players, who are having family come to town or may find something to do without family in town, can balance the fine line between health, family, safety and sacrifice during the holiday.

“Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I understand that families are going to come in, but we also try to educate them and tell them limiting the amount of people you come in contact with just helps the situation. I understand that and they understand that,” Flores said.

“At the same time, family is important too. We just try to educate them and tell them how important it is to mask and try to keep your distance as much as you can. … We all have to make sacrifices especially if we want to continue playing this year.”

———

©2020 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Visit the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at www.sun-sentinel.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.