"He pointed me out": Dallas Cowboys' WR Ryan Flournoy recalls the time his high school coach doubted his college football chances

By Aman Sharma

Modified Oct 30, 2024 18:18 GMT

Ryan Flournoy’s journey from a little-known high school player to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys is a powerful story of resilience and passion. As a young Chicago Bears fan, he dreamed of playing in the NFL since he was five.

Appearing on S2 E11 of the "Winners Club Podcast" on Oct. 22, Flournoy recalled a meeting in his freshman year when his coach cast doubt on his potential.

“He asked the room, ‘Does anybody want to play college football?’” Flournoy recalled. [4:20 onwards]

"Of course, everybody raised their hand. And I remember I'm sitting in the front, left corner. He pointed me out and was like, but your size is unlikely. I'm not being harsh on you, I'm just being realistic. And I'm like that, my heart went to my stomach."

After high school, Flournoy enrolled at Central Missouri University, where he was redshirted his first season due to injury. His time there was challenging, as injuries affected his consistency. Despite being overshadowed by other players, he maintained an unwavering work ethic.

"I don't want to say better than me, but somebody was actually the star and I wasn't. And a lot of people shout out, but I always kept working. Like, you can ask anybody that coached me, I was the hardest worker. I was willing to do anything."

Flournoy’s dedication only grew. Moving to a junior college (JUCO), he intensified his commitment to the game, earning respect from his teammates and coaches.

"Since Missouri, I took it serious, but I didn't take it too serious. I turned it up a level when I got to Juco. And I gained respect from my teammates, and I respected everybody there."

He then transferred to Iowa Western Community College (IWCC) for its reputable program and soon made his way to Division I football with Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), an FCS school.

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Ryan Flournoy’s journey to the Dallas Cowboys: From ACL recovery to the NFL draft

Ryan Flournoy began his college career at Central Missouri in 2018. He was redshirted his first year and injured at the start of his second. Despite returning with a partially torn ACL, he tallied 17 receptions for 170 yards.

The COVID-19 pandemic canceled his 2020 season, and in 2021, he transferred to Iowa Western Community College. During his ACL recovery, Flournoy showed incredible resilience, attending daily physical therapy sessions.

"I walked to physical therapy, which was a seven-minute drive and a 48-minute walk, literally every single day," Flournoy said. "I came back on my ACL. Some people don't come back from ACL. [7:22 mark]

"I think I did three and a half months I was able to run. Me tearing my ACL and walking onto a jury cause I wasn't gonna let that stop me from not chasing my dreams."

With only one Division I offer, he joined Southeast Missouri State in 2022 and became team captain in his first year, racking up 61 catches for 984 yards, seven touchdowns and a first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference honor.

In the 2024 NFL Draft, Flournoy was picked by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round (216th overall). Recalling the draft day, he said:

“I thought I’d go in the fourth or fifth round. When I saw that call, it was Jerry Jones, and my family went crazy—they knew my passion.” [12:00]

Flournoy’s 2024 season debut stats include one reception for 12 yards across three games.