Ravens WR Zay Flowers Gifts Dad New Car

Baltimore Ravens receiver Zay Flowers has been in the NFL for less than a month, but he's already giving back to the people who helped him get there.

Flowers recently surprised his father, Willie Flowers, with a brand-new Mercedes SUV in one of his first big post-draft purchases. For the recent draftee, this gift was just a small thank you for the sacrifices his dad has made.

.@ZayFlowers wasted no time giving back to his biggest supporters, gifting his Dad with a brand new car 🥹 🚗 pic.twitter.com/oqNVeHXrpK
— NFL (@NFL) May 16, 2023

"I used to see him get up and go to work at 4 a.m. in the morning; he did that every day Monday through Friday," Flowers said. "Then he would get up Saturday, wash our clothes at the wash house, cook everybody breakfast and take us to football games. Then, do the same thing Sunday, and then go back to work Monday. So, just seeing him do that, it gave me my drive."

The Flowers family has had to make more than its share of sacrifices, especially Willie. Zay Flowers' mother, Jackie Walden, passed away due to a head injury in 2005. This tragedy left Willie Flowers to raise 14 children, of which Zay is the 11th, on his own.

Willie Flowers also imparted an important lesson on his son, one that makes his arrival in Baltimore feel like fate. Zay Flowers is on the smaller side at 5-9, 185 pounds, but his father taught him to not let that bring him down. Specifically, Willie Flowers likened his son to former Ravens receiver Steve Smith Sr., and leading up to the draft, Smith was a common comparison for the Boston College Eagles standout. Now, Zay Flowers gets to don the same jersey his inspiration once wore.

"My dad always told me, 'It doesn't matter about size; it's about what's in your chest,'" Flowers said. "He always kept me motivated and said, 'You have to be like Steve Smith. Steve Smith was a dog.'"

Even before he landed in Baltimore, the Ravens were impressed by Zay Flowers' character. General manager Eric DeCosta said after the first round of the draft that the receiver's story played a big part in the decision to bring him to the Queen City.

"We do a lot of research on these guys, and we spend a lot of time interviewing these players, and Zay was a player that I have to say … I haven't come across many more impressive, just, face-to-face prospects that I've ever interviewed at the Combine and then here in Baltimore," DeCosta said. "His story, his resiliency, his ability to just succeed and handle things was really, really impressive.

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