Advertisement

Heated Dolphins coach Brian Flores held back from brawl after ugly Bengals hit on Jakeem Grant

jason owens
Staff writer
·3 min read

Here’s a surefire way for a head coach to earn the respect of his players.

Miami Dolphins punt returner Jakeem Grant was on the receiving end of an ugly hit on Sunday that sparked a brawl against the Cincinnati Bengals.

As Grant lined up to receive a Bengals punt early in the fourth quarter, Cincinnati’s Mike Thomas barreled through him before the ball arrived. It was a clear penalty and a violent hit against a defenseless returner and the second ugly hit of the game on Grant. In a game that had already seen multiple ejections for fighting, players from both benches met on the field after the illegal hit.

Punches were thrown, and bodies ended up on the ground.

Head coach Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins is held back by a member of his coaching staff as Flores walks on the field in the fourth quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Brian Flores told reporters after the game that his players are like his kids. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Brian Flores had to be held back

And it wasn’t just players armed with pads and helmets joining the scuffle. Dolphins head coach Brian Flores wanted a piece as well. Flores, livid at seeing the hit on Grant, marched toward the fracas yelling and pointing fingers.

Bengals safety Von Bell stepped in his way before Dolphins offensive lineman Jesse Davis and Miami coaches pushed him away from the melee.

Multiple ejections

Dolphins receivers DeVante Parker and Mack Hollins and Bengals safety Shawne Wiliiams were all ejected for their role in the scuffle. Thomas was penalized for kick-catch interference. He was not ejected.

The offsetting penalties resulted in another punt, which Grant did not receive after being injured on the play. He returned later in the game that Miami won, 19-7.

Flores: Players are like ‘my kids’

Flores addressed the incident after the game. He told reporters that his players are like his kids.

“I’ve got to do a better job of keeping my poise,” Flores said. “I’m gonna stick up for my players. They’re going to stick up for each other — without getting penalties, without hurting the team. We’ve got to do a better job keeping our poise.

“These are like my kids. The first time, yeah. The second time, I got a little upset about it. I’ve got to do a better job. I have to. I can’t do anything to hurt the team. My emotions got the best of me there. ... You see somebody you care about — hit like that twice. I’ve got to do a better job.”

Respect in the Dolphins locker room

Flores’ defense of his team drew plaudits from the Dolphins’ locker room, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

“It speaks a lot to Flo’s character,” Tagovailoa told reporters. “ ... He stands up for us as a team. It wasn’t just him. It’s a testament to how close we are as a team.”

Compare what happened on Sunday with what happened with the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 7 game against the Washington Football Team. A dirty hit knocked off the helmet of Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton and left him concussed. The Cowboys did not respond. There was no defense on their on-field leader. They went on to lose 25-3 amid a season spiraling out of control.

The responses in both games shows a contrast of two teams different leadership styles — and two teams headed in opposite directions.

More from Yahoo Sports: