Former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is trying to set the record straight about his relationship with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

There have been reports of a rift between Tagovailoa and Flores, who served as Miami’s head coach for the past three seasons, as well as alleged disagreements between the two. Flores, however, said the rumors aren’t true during a recent appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast with Omar Kelly, Brandon Marshall, and Chad Johnson.

“It wasn’t strained. I think we had a good relationship,” Flores said. “It was a player-coach relationship. And I think in a relationship like that, the coach challenges the player, and often times the player challenges the coach.”

Flores added he has faith in Tagovailoa for the future and that he didn’t understand the “narrative” that had been built around them.

“There was a great deal of respect between the two of us. So you hear this crazy kind of narrative that’s out there, but this is a young man who works, developed, and got better over two years and I think he’s got a bright future,” he said.

In Tagovailoa’s sophomore season, the Dolphins had a massive second-half surge to finish 9-8. Miami triumphed in eight of its last nine games after starting the 2021 season with an abysmal 1-7 record.

Flores was stunningly fired by the Dolphins after the season concluded, with some suspecting tensions with Tagovaiola, 25, as the primary reason. Flores has pushed back against this theory.

“Yeah, the world can think what they want to think. Ask Tua, you know, I think he’d say the same thing,” he said.

Next season, Tagovailoa will be coached by former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Flores filed a lawsuit against the NFL earlier this month, alleging racial discrimination in its hiring practices.