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Chan Gailey did not expect a phone call from Dolphins head coach Brian Flores asking him to return to the NFL as the offensive coordinator in Miami, but he accepted it when it arrived earlier this year.
Gailey told reporters on Saturday that the opportunity to work with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was included in his decision and that it “maybe was a different story” with a different roster. Gailey’s decision also gives him a chance to work with first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa.
The veteran coach praised Tagovailoa’s “leadership, his ability to throw football, his touch, game management” during the media session, but acknowledged that there are many unknowns when it comes to how he will develop as a professional.
‘He will develop quickly or slowly, depending on how much he understands the crime, and how fast he comes [along], and how he develops himself as a footballer. A lot of that is based on health, ”said Gailey, through Safid Deen South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “There are many factors involved. I hope I have a big impact on [Tagovailoa’s development], but you never know. You have to see how hard and how well a player comes, and you see what he does. . . . We will try to place him to be successful when the time comes. ”
The question of when Tagovailoa’s time will come will be a big one in Miami this season and Gailey’s ability to prepare for that moment will probably have a lot to do with how long the coordinator’s NFL comeback lasts.
