After Zay Flowers made an error in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship Game with his first fumble in his career, he was heartbroken especially after the Ravens lost 17-10 to the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a harder pill to swallow for Flowers, who could very well feel the burden of his blunder on his shoulders.
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Understanding the emotional turmoil Flowers was going through, Lamar Jackson reached out to him via DM to console him. On top of that, the QB made sure to visit Flowers in person for the following two days and helped him overcome the setback.
Fast forward to the present, as the two-time MVP sits down with Ryan Mink and Garrett Downing on the Lounge Podcast, his love for Flowers is very evident.
Jackson praised the 2023 NFL draftee’s consistency despite missing practice sessions which makes him a reliable team member. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner also praised Flowers for his “explosive” talent and how he “gets out of his routes”–quickly and decisively, which helps the WR to distance himself from defenders in critical situations.
The University of Louisville alum’s confidence in Flowers has also increased manifold, especially because of the 23-year-old’s performance against top-tier cornerbacks who thwart him with outside coverage strategies–yet, Flowers succeeds.
That said, Jackson’s trust in Flowers is not limited to his physical skills– he admires Flowers’ competitive spirit and labels it as a “dog mentality.”
Moreover, the 2018 NFL Draftee sees a likeness between Flowers and Ravens Tight End, Isaiah Likely, saying:
“Isaiah Likely, he’s the same thing. He wants to dunk on people, he wants to get the ball in space. All of my guys are like that, man. Bateman [Rashod Bateman], Nelly [Nelson Agholor], like Mark [Mark Andrews]–all those guys, they’re hungry.”
Talking about their last season’s AFC Championship experience where they lost to the Chiefs, Lamar Jackson admits that the intense competition motivates the Ravens to push themselves more.
Speaking of which, Jackson’s positive outlook about Flowers was quite evident during the Ravens’ training camp where the NSU University alum balled out.
Major Takeaways for Zay Flowers from the Ravens’ Training Camp
As the Baltimore Ravens wrapped up their training camp in mid-August this year, Zay Flowers, the team’s No. 22 Pick in 2023, stood out with his performance following his stellar rookie season.
On the last day of the camp, Flowers made a notable play with Lamar Jackson that included a nearly 75-yard TD pass along with several other gains like a 30-yard catch. He also shone in executing a successful sweep play as well as scoring a touchdown near the goal line.
In his debut year, Flowers broke franchise records with 77 receptions and 858 receiving yards, which hints at how the upcoming season would pan out.
“I’m focused on elevating every aspect of my game,” Flowers said as reported by NFL.com.
As he steps into a leadership role with the Ravens, alongside Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor, Zay is striving to improve and build a good rapport with his fellow players as the regular season looms large.
