Ryan Fitzpatrick tried to play during the Miami Dolphins' first scrimmage of training camp two weeks ago, the same day his mother, Lori, died.
But when Fitzpatrick became overcome with emotion, it was Dolphins coach Brian Flores who put his arm around his quarterback and walked with him off the field to deal with a more pressing matter than football.
“I think just being the head coach and leader of this team, he’s meant a lot to me and to all of us,” said Fitzpatrick, 37, of Flores, one of the youngest coaches in the NFL at 39.