Dolphins players bemoan Flores firing. And analysts, NFL people rip team: ‘I’m appalled’

Former NFL executives and network television voices blasted the Dolphins for dismissing Brian Flores as coach on Monday, while some of his players sounded stunned and disappointed.

“I was definitely surprised,” linebacker Jerome Baker said. “It’s unfortunate he’s gone.”

Did he always have the locker room behind him? “Yes,” Baker said. “He definitely did. We all believe in Flo. He’s a great coach, a great guy, and we definitely trusted him. He wanted you to be the best player [you could be].”

Right tackle Jesse Davis said players found out the news on social media: “Any time it happens, it’s a sad feeling for everybody. Any time that happens it’s kind of unsettling. But it’s a business....

“We all wish coach Flo good luck in everything he does. He’s an awesome coach. Flo brought a lot of good qualities to this team: Competitiveness, toughness. Flo did a great job. The chips didn’t fall where we wanted them at the end of the season.”

Davis described playing for Flores: “Flo is intense. He gets after you when you’re not doing your job; that’s what a coach does. Some days you may not want to hear it, but most of the time, that’s what you need to hear.

“The guys in the building respond pretty well to it... You’ve got to have thick skin with him. It’s tough love. If you’re doing your job, you are going to hear about it. If you’re not, you’re going to hear from him. He brought out a lot of good in everybody. I know we weren’t very consistent on offense, but guys got better and that’s the bottom line.”

Defensive lineman Christian Wilkins said: “I got a lot of respect for coach Flo. Great guy, great leader. I was his first drafted rookie. I think highly of him as a person, as a man, as a coach. He could really coach football well.”

Davis suggested the coaching turnover — with frequent changes at offensive coordinator and offensive line coach — didn’t help: “Since I’ve been here, I’ve had seven. Different techniques, different coaching styles, different schemes.

“That contributes to a lot of things. It’s how well you take to the coaching and understand stuff.... Ideally you want the same guys coaching your guys and letting one voice in the room coach your guys.”

Flores had four different offensive coordinators and four different offensive line coaches in his three seasons as coach.

MORE DOLPHINS REACTION

Meanwhile, several others Dolphins players voiced support for Flores on social media.

“I’m sick as [expletive],” cornerback Nik Needham tweeted, with a crying emoji.

“Damn Man,” defensive tackle Raekwon Davis tweeted.

“Appreciate ya dawg!!” receiver Lynn Bowden Jr. said to Flores on Twitter. “Good dude for sure.”

▪ Safety Brandon Jones said: “Can’t thank this man enough for taking a chance on me. [Appreciate] everything, coach Flo.”

▪ Cornerback Byron Jones said: “Thank you, Flo. Our resilience as a team to turn the season around when everyone counted us out was one of the greatest joys of my career. We never blinked. Not many are built like that. We were.”

ANALYSTS, NFL TYPES CRITICIZE DOLPHINS

Meanwhile, NFL people and TV pundits also weighed in.

“I hope the Dolphins realize that the market of potential candidates will not view this positively,” former Philadelphia Eagles president Joe Banner said on Twitter. “The owner has basically said that he thinks GM was more responsible for team improvement than the coach, and now you are hiring a HC that knows that’s your belief. Not optimal.”

Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, a friend of Flores, simply tweeted “dumb.”

More reaction from national analysts:

▪ ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky: “This is a mistake. He’s got back-to-back winning seasons. He’s beaten New England twice this year. 10-6, 9-8 the last two years. For me, it feels eerily similar to what happened to Jim Caldwell in Detroit. We’re like, ‘It was good but the expectations were to be better.’ You fire a coach that is a really good coach and you’re going to regret it in the long run. It feels that way.”

▪ ESPN analyst and former NFL linebacker Sam Acho: “The firing of Brian Flores is ridiculous at best and incompetent at worst.

“Flores won 19 games over two years in Miami [the Dolphins haven’t done that since 03] with a QB that is hurt as often as he’s healthy. He finished the year going 8-1. This move is what bad franchises do.”

▪ ESPN analyst and former NFL offensive lineman Damien Woody: “I’m pissed about the Flores firing.”

▪ ESPN analyst and former NFL safety Ryan Clark: “A guy who made a remarkable turnaround. He continues to coach defense well. I’m not sure what the Dolphins think they’ll do without Flores. But this is a mistake to get rid of this head coach.”

▪ ESPN commentator and former Jets coach Rex Ryan: “I’m stunned by. They won eight out of the last nine. To me, this is crazy.”

▪ Former Browns and Raiders executive Mike Lombardi: “Flores probably didn’t play nice in the sandbox known as the NFL front office and probably moved too much sand around — which makes people feel uncomfortable. Being uncomfortable is good for most of us when expectations are high.”

▪ ESPN analyst and former Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III: “Brain Flores getting fired is wild. I’m shocked. I’m appalled.”

The dismissal even drew reaction from the entertainment world.

Actor and longtime Dolphins fan Josh Gad said on Twitter: “In the history of the Miami Dolphins, there have been some historically dumb and bad moves. The firing of Brian Flores is perhaps the single worst decision this organization has ever made. This is not only a desperate move, it’s a pathetic one. Shame on on everyone involved.”