Zay Flowers Is Grateful for New Deal With Ravens and Remains Hungry as Ever

The Baltimore Ravens' two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is happy to have a new contract but won't let it impact how he continues to go about his business and chase his other goals.

Jul 29, 2026; Ownings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before the arrival and rapid ascension of Zay Flowers to already being among the NFL's best and the most decorated wide receiver in franchise history, the narrative when it came to the Baltimore Ravens and the position was far from flattering and the polar opposite of sterling.

Despite being able to hit on early-round picks and find hidden gems at just about every other position, the Ravens were historically and notoriously known as the team where old wide receivers past their primes try to squeeze out another productive year or two, and young wideouts fail to flourish.

Coming off back-to-back 1,000-plus-yard and Pro Bowl seasons, the Ravens and general manager Eric DeCosta rewarded Flowers for what he has done and where they believe he can go as the biggest success story at the position in franchise history.

“The motto here in Baltimore was receivers are not really valued and that changed yesterday,” Flowers said Wednesday.

The pressure that comes with being a first-round wide receiver in Baltimore is unlike anywhere else in the league, not because they are known for drafting and developing young stars at the position but because the polar opposite has been true until now.

“I never really felt the pressure,” Flowers said. “I had a long journey here. I had a lot of stuff happen to me where it was a lot of pressure, and I ain't fold, so it never really took hold of me to have pressure on me because I got a lot of family at home. I had lost a family. [I] went to Boston College, had success there, so it was never really pressure. I just played my game, and I believe in myself no matter what."

While some skepticism met Flowers' big payday from the uninformed, real ball knowers and former pro wide receivers celebrated the momentous occasion. To see players that he grew up watching and even modeled aspects of his game after, such as Chad Johnson and former Raven Steve Smith Sr., shout him out on social media after news of his deal broke meant “everything” to Flowers.

“It's just a blessing to be in this position,” Flowers said.

The fourth-year pro is both excited and relieved to have gotten this deal worked out before the season, so he will no longer be asked about it and can divert his attention solely to football.

“That's just like a rock lifted off your shoulders, and you can just be free and go play,” Flowers said. “It's something you don't have to worry about. It's just a lot, a lot lighter on myself, and I can just go play.”

Mindset and approach won't change

Dec 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) shakes hands with wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) before the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

While earning a new deal is no longer a goal for him, the primary objective and main motivator remains winning a championship.

“We still got to get a Super Bowl,” Flowers said. “Nothing don't change. I'm still doing the same thing. Five in the morning, getting here and working every day.”

In the offseason, he spent a lot of time training with fellow franchise pillar and star quarterback Lamar Jackson since they both hail from and reside in South Florida. He got up at 5 a.m. on most of those days and doesn't plan on altering that regimen as long as they're teammates.

“Ain't nothing changing,” Flowers said. “I'm still going to get him every day. He got to be ready. Next offseason, we’re doing the same thing.”

Last season Flowers’ playing weight was 178 pounds and he decided to add on eight pounds of bulk to make himself 186 pounds so he can be even better after the catch, moving more vertically than laterally.

“Everybody get mad at me when I'm running sideways, so [I’ll] run through some more tackles,” Flowers said with a laugh.

The past decade-plus has proven that true No. 1 receivers can come in all shapes and sizes and don't have to fit the old archetype of a big-bodied 'X' mold to be highly successful. Although some pundits question whether Flowers fits the bill for Baltimore, he scoffs at the notion that suggests otherwise. He believes his new salary and the opinions of his teammates and coaches speak volumes about his value.

“It definitely validates how the front office feel about me, how those guys feel about me, how my teammates feel about me, and they see the work that I put in, and they see everything I do, and everybody felt I definitely deserved it," Flowers said. "The work don't stop now. We got to keep going.”

Staying in Baltimore was never in doubt

Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers on stage after being selected by the Baltimore Ravens twenty second overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

There have been several instances in recent memory where ascending young players who have reached the career milestones Flowers has in his first three years have decided to hold out of training camp or hold in as they wait to get paid. That was never the case for Flowers, who participated in the offseason program, reported to training camp, and was on the field for every practice except on the day he signed his new deal.

“I always wanted to do more,” Flowers said. “If I'm being honest, I was never really worried about the deal getting done. That's why I was still practicing, because I knew [DeCosta] was gonna take care of me, and he always keep his word that he was gonna take care of me. So I never really focused on having to deal with the conversations talking about the contract.”

Flowers' absence from the practice field on Tuesday was excused by the Ravens' head executive himself while he ironed out the final details of the contract with his representatives.

“Me and EDC had a talk right before practice, and it was a good conversation,” Flowers said. “How we felt about the situation, and he said he was gonna take care of me, and I never doubted that. [He] said I've been his guy since I came in. That's 100% true, because every time I talk to him, we always have a smile on his face."

While Flowers refused to address Jackson’s ongoing contract negotiations with the front office, or lack thereof, he also made it clear that there’s no quarterback he’d rather catch passes from on Sundays for the duration of his career.

“That ain't really my conversation to have, but I’d love for him to be my quarterback until I'm done playing, no matter whether 12 years, 13, no matter how long,” Flowers said. “I want him to be my quarterback because to me, he's the best in the world.”

Overall, Flowers is incredibly grateful for all those who had and continue to have faith in him from the top of the organization to the Ravens fan base, and especially his immediate family that includes his father and 13 siblings.

“I’d like to thank my family for always having my back and being there for me throughout everything, through everything we've been through, and my friends and everybody in this organization, EDC, Nick, Mr. Bisciotti, for believing me and giving me a shot,” Flowers said. “Taking a chance on me for somebody from Boston College, I know it's not a lot of people at receiver or like skill positions that really come out of there. So I really like, I really appreciate them.

"This just shows me how much they believe in me, and just gives me another boost to keep going. I love to thank Flock Nation for being my biggest fans, even when things got rough, y'all still had my back no matter what happened. I appreciate Baltimore."