Ryan Flournoy fueled by fight from JUCO to the Cowboys: ‘My journey created me’

FRISCO — Every time Ryan Flournoy enters the Cowboys locker room, runs through the tunnel or steps onto the field, he sees his entire history.

Flournoy can visualize the 99-pound, 5-3 high school freshman who was told by his coaches that it was unlikely he’d ever play college football. The receiver can see that much taller kid walking on to Iowa Western Community College’s team five years later after one season at Central Missouri.

There, Flournoy tore his ACL on the first day of practice. He didn’t have a car, so Flournoy walked 50 minutes on crutches every day to physical therapy motivated by the chance that he would be here, in the Cowboys’ locker room. The once-small kid now nicknamed “Big Flo.”

“My journey created me,” Flournoy said. “The way I prepare for each game, for each practice, honestly, some would say it’s abnormal.”

Cowboys

And because of all his abnormalities, the 26-year-old wideout has become one of the Cowboys’ most surprising, but reliable, options. The 6-1 receiver was selected by the Cowboys in the sixth round last year after two successful seasons at Southeast Missouri State.

In his second season with the Cowboys, Flournoy’s recorded 17 receptions, 200 yards and two touchdowns after a quiet rookie season. He was cut in August before being signed to the practice squad two days later.

By October, Flournoy had six catches for 114 yards against the Jets, a performance that’s made him stick out ever since.

“It was a big, huge confidence-booster for him,” wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said. “I felt like he felt like he belonged. Everybody needs that. You can tell yourself that, until you go out and prove it to yourself, and I felt like ever since then — granted I’ve known what he’s had in the tank — for him to go out there and do it again … it’s huge.”

But getting to that turning point wasn’t easy. Flournoy questioned himself as a rookie. He felt at fault somehow.

“Seeing guys come from big schools not make it, and I come from the small school, I’m like, ‘Dang, what did I do to deserve this?’” Flournoy said. “And definitely, some people could call it survivor’s guilt or whatever, but some days I did feel bad for it.”

It took him a season to work through.

Sure, Flournoy didn’t come from a powerhouse program, but his smaller stops along the way gave him something worth keeping around.

He can appreciate being on the practice squad because he’s loved the game since he was 5. Flournoy is happy to have just “two reps” because the receiver was told he’d never have any.

“My journey has helped me because I’m always to be the guy to do the dirty work,” Flournoy said. “And I don’t complain about doing it.”

And that attitude has shaped the way coaches see him, too.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams have never had a conversation explaining to the player why he’s getting more playing time. It doesn’t need an explanation.

“He’s a perfect example of the more you can do, the more you can do,” Adams said. “So, we’ve given him a few more opportunities because when he has the opportunities, he does something with them.”

It’s been a joy for Adams to watch. He said Flournoy makes him excited on game day.

“He’s awesome,” Adams said. “He’s one of those guys you see him come out of the tunnel on game day and he just loves football. He wants to do anything he can to help the team.”

But Adams doesn’t know that there are images flashing through Flournoy’s head in that moment.

The small kid. The JUCO gamble. The hourslong wait to get drafted. To getting cut and now being trusted. It’s all there, circling through his mind. And Flournoy wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Every day, I’m grateful for it.”

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