Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores said he was stung by comments by Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa about Flores’ coaching style when he was in Miami. Bruce Kluckhorn/Associated Press

EAGAN, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores acknowledged Tuesday he was stung by the sharp criticism of his coaching style from Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s recent public assessment of their time together with the Dolphins.

Responding to remarks Tagovailoa made in an interview that aired Monday, Flores wished his former player well and expressed his pleasure in the success the fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft has had. Flores said he has reflected on his time as head coach of the Dolphins from 2019-21 and believes he has learned ways to be better as a leader. But he also said he has long valued building relationships and is confident he’s had many players and colleagues who trust and appreciate him.

Tagovailoa said on “The Dan LeBatard Show” that he has much preferred playing for current Dolphins Coach Mike McDaniel because of how Flores treated him and how the experience eroded his self-esteem.

“I don’t care who you are. You can be the president of the United States. You have a terrible person that’s telling you things that you don’t want to hear or that you probably shouldn’t ever hear, you’re going to start to believe that about yourself, and so that’s sort of like what ended up happening,” Tagovailoa said.

Tagovailoa, who signed a four-year contract extension last month to solidify himself as the face of the franchise for Miami for the foreseeable future, said he has taken two years to train the negative thoughts out of his head.

PATRIOTS: New England claimed wide receiver Matt Landers off waivers from the Browns and in a corresponding roster move, placed rookie wide receiver JaQuae Jackson on injured reserve.

Jackson was carted off of the field with an apparent knee injury in Thursday’s preseason game against the Eagles. Landers, 25, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas with the Seahawks. He’s also spent time with the Panthers and in the UFL.

STEELERS: Pittsburgh placed veteran center Nate Herbig on injured reserve, clearing the way for rookie second-round pick Zach Frazier to start in the opener at Atlanta on Sept. 8.

Herbig injured his shoulder during the final day of training camp last week and didn’t play during a 9-3 loss to Buffalo on Saturday. Frazier, a second-round pick out of West Virginia, got the nod in Herbig’s place and was one of the bright spots during an otherwise shaky performance by the offensive line.

Pittsburgh’s long-term plan was to have Frazier take over for Herbig eventually. The injury sped up the process.

BROWNS: Coach Kevin Stefanski said that he’s still undecided on whether Deshaun Watson, who hasn’t played since breaking his right shoulder in November, will take any snaps in Saturday’s exhibition finale at Seattle.

Watson has been kept out of Cleveland’s first two preseason games. Last week, Stefanski said the plan was for Watson to face the Seahawks, but now that isn’t so certain.

FALCONS: Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the No. 8 pick in the NFL draft and Atlanta’s quarterback of the future, did not play in last weekend’s game at Baltimore. He will sit again in the preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday night.

The decision to give Penix limited playing time has raised plenty of eyebrows, especially since starter Kirk Cousins isn’t playing at all in the preseason as he returns from an Achilles tendon injury. Coach Raheem Morris said he’s seen enough of Penix in practice, including two joint workouts with the Miami Dolphins, to evaluate his progress.

BENGALS: Cincinnati defensive end Myles Murphy suffered an apparent knee injury during a joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts.

Coach Zac Taylor said the severity of the injury is yet to be determined. A first-round pick in 2023, Murphy went down with what appeared to be a noncontact injury. He walked off the field under his own power alongside trainers.