For the first time in his NFL career, former Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard is a free agent and is looking for a new team to spend at least the next year with.
Howard, 30, played eight seasons for the Dolphins, making two All-Pro teams and four Pro Bowls during his time in aqua and orange. He’s also recorded the second-most interceptions in the league since he was drafted in 2016.
The former Baylor Bear did all of that despite playing for three different head coaches – Adam Gase, Brian Flores and Mike McDaniel.
Flores’ reign (2019-21) ended with some fireworks, as a lawsuit was filed against the team and the league citing discrimination which also led to the Dolphins losing multiple draft picks.
And, while there’s been much said about his attitude and relationships with his players and staff, Howard, who was in Miami for Flores’ entire tenure, recently called him a player’s coach.
“Brian Flores was like that,” Howard said on “The OGs” podcast. “He gets all of the this and that in the media, but he was a player’s coach guy. It was like, he came from the Patriots, so he’s seen greatness from the G.O.A.T. It’s his standard how he holds guys around, our team, the Dolphins at the time, he held everybody to a standard. Me and Flores probably weren’t buddy-buddy, this and that, but I respect him. How he came in there every day. He approached every day the same way. It doesn’t matter who you are, he’s going to chew your ass out if you aren’t doing something right. He isn’t going to dap you out if you’re doing something right. You’re supposed to do that.”
Flores spent the first 15 seasons of his career in professional football working for the New England Patriots under then-head coach Bill Belichick. There’s been a long list of former Patriots coaches who have gone elsewhere and have had their personalities clash with those around them.
This past season, Flores served as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and is set to return to the position in 2024. And, this offseason, he recruited one of his former Dolphins, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, to join him in purple and gold. Could Howard’s comments hint at him doing the same in the near future?
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