Chan Gailey didn’t expect a phone call from Dolphins head coach Brian Flores asking him to return to the NFL as offensive coordinator in Miami, but he accepted it earlier this year.
Gailey told reporters on Saturday that the chance to work with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick again factored into her decision and that “it could have been a different story” with a different roster. Gailey’s decision also gives her a chance to work with first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa.
The veteran coach praised Tagovailoa’s “leadership, his ability to throw the ball, his touch, handling the game” during the media session, but acknowledged that there are many unknowns as to how he will develop as a professional.
“He will develop quickly or slowly depending on his understanding of the offense and his speed [along]and how he evolves as a football player. A lot of it is health based, ”Gailey said, via Safid Deen of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “There are a lot of factors in there. I hope to have a big impact on [Tagovailoa’s development], but you never know about it. You have to see how fast and how far a player is coming in, and you see what they are doing. . . . We will try to put it in a position to succeed when the time comes.
The question of when Tagovailoa’s time comes will be a big question in Miami this season and Gailey’s ability to prepare him for this moment will likely have a lot to do with how long the coordinator’s return to the NFL is.
