“Civil War”- As The Dolphins Find Cohesion Under Mike McDaniels, Former LB Kyle Van Noy Opens Up About Team’s Early Struggles

The Miami Dolphins are thriving since their new Head Coach has taken over. Mike Daniel has had a huge positive impact and resulted in the turnaround of the team this season. His leadership has helped the players become the best version of themselves and give a solid performance. Especially their QB, Tua Tagovailoa.

However, in a confession by the team’s own former player, LB Kyle Van Noy, he revealed the internal struggles of the Dolphins. There had been a strong rift between the former head coach and the team’s general manager. This domestic struggle felt no short of a civil war to the rest of the team.

Van Noy reveals Miami Dolphins’ turbulent internal struggles

In an interview on Marlon Humphrey’s Punch Line Podcast, Van Noy described his time in Miami as being right in the midst of a “civil war” between the team’s head coach, Brian Flores, and the general manager, Chris Grier. He confessed, “I was in the middle of a civil war between the GM and the head coach. I saw the power struggle that you don’t see behind closed doors.” This power struggle primarily revolved around the team’s quarterback situation, particularly their 2020 fifth-overall pick, Tua Tagovailoa.

The main source of conflict between Flores and Grier was their choice to draft Tua Tagovailoa. There were reports that Flores wished they had picked Mac Jones instead. Van Noy’s remarks suggest that this disagreement caused internal strife and affected the team’s performance.

Additionally, the controversies surrounding Tagovailoa’s benching and the negative social media attention contributed to a difficult team atmosphere. Van Noy acknowledged that some players criticized Tua to the media anonymously, but he clarified that he wasn’t among them, emphasizing his close bond with the young quarterback.

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Since then, the Dolphins have seen a turnaround with a new coach, Mike McDaniel along with a continued commitment to Tua Tagovailoa. This change in leadership has propelled the Dolphins to break a five-year playoff drought and establish themselves as contenders in the AFC. This proved how addressing internal conflicts can lead to a positive transformation for a team.

Unleashing Tua and forging team unity in Miami

The arrival of Mike McDaniel in 2022 has had a transformative impact on the Miami Dolphins, not only elevating them to one of the NFL‘s top teams with a 5-2 record but also bringing out a better version of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. In an interview with NBC Sports, Tua expressed how he now feels the freedom to be himself, fostering an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect within the organization. He emphasized that under McDaniel’s leadership, there’s a balance between allowing players to express themselves and knowing when it’s time to focus on their work.

When confronted with the suggestion that Tua Tagovailoa’s success could be primarily attributed to his system, Mike McDaniel fervently came to his quarterback’s defense. In response to the question of whether many quarterbacks could thrive in his system, he stated, “My answer to that would be, ‘Who the F cares?’ because it is a team. We’re working together, and I know one thing. I’ve coached a long time, and I haven’t seen people do what our guys do.”

The team has become one solid unit under the leadership of their new coach. Their future seems bright with Mike McDaniel at the helm.

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