Positive word of mouth about Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores appears to be a key reason why one of the team’s newest members, running back Jordan Howard, signed with the team as a free agent.
Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com indicated that while safety Byron Jones is inspired by the chance to lead a young defensive unit, Howard is embracing the positive atmosphere.
“From talking to people, they say that it’s [a great] atmosphere,” Howard said. “They love the program coach Flores is building.”
One of the reasons for such optimism is that Flores was able to get the Dolphins pointed in the right direction after a disastrous first month last season.
In those first four games, they lost by an average of 34.3 points, but then closed with five wins in their last nine games.
That painful start was due to an infusion of young players who endured a rough baptism during their introduction into the lineup.
Having gotten past those growing pains and closing on an upswing, the chance for the Dolphins to make a bigger impact in 2020 made them a more inviting free agent destination.
Flores and the Dolphins are hoping that Howard can provide a huge boost to the Dolphins offense, with the 25-year-old having gained nearly 4,000 yards rushing during his first four years.
It may still be too early for such a parallel, but it was 50 years ago that Don Shula arrived in Miami and immediately turned the Dolphins into a playoff team.
That effort was the result of a no-nonsense approach by Shula, with Flores looking to follow in those footsteps as he prepares his second year coaching the team. Based on the remarks of Howard and others, Flores is on the right path.
