FRISCO, Texas – At this time last year, Ryan Flournoy was two months away from being waived by the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season.
After joining the team's practice squad shortly thereafter, Flournoy signed back to the active roster ahead of Week 2, where he began to flourish in Dallas' offense. The growth process for Flournoy's confidence stems all the way back to his first preseason game in 2024.
"My first preseason game against LA, I had a lot of pressure on me," Flournoy said. "Not that anybody else put it on me, but I put it on myself because I was [from] a small school. I feel like I had a lot to prove… Honestly, I played bad my first preseason game. But as I started to learn and started to just go out there and play freely and play football, I kind of stepped into myself."
Flournoy has come a long way since hauling in just two catches for eight yards and fumbling the ball in his that debut preseason game against the Rams. In 2025, he would go on to establish himself as Dallas' third option at wide receiver, posting career-highs in receiving yards (407), receptions (35) and touchdowns (four).
The goal for Flournoy heading into his third season with the Cowboys is being consistent in the habits that helped him get to this point, and continuing to grow his confidence as he settles into the WR3 role behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
"It definitely had a big impact on it, just because I know I belong," Flournoy said of how the 2025 season impacted his confidence. "I know the offense now, I know how to operate as a professional. Coming in from college, coming in from a small school, you kind of get drowned out. Just trying to navigate what works for you and seeing what works for others, my confidence skyrocketed after I found what worked for me."
Being able to discover what it meant to play freely was something Flournoy believes he found through his work ethic and training during the week.
"That's where my confidence really stems from," Flournoy said. "My preparation, how I try to be the first one here, I try to be the last one to leave. I try to extra with my body, extra mentally, learning the plays and learning what other people got and just being prepared so I can go out there and be free."
That work ethic is something that Flournoy says he's had all his life. Coming from a small FCS school like Southeast Missouri State helped instill the incentivization to always put in the extra work, and that aspect of his approach isn't something that will ever change.
"I always have the inspiration to be great," Flournoy said. "I tell my brothers all the time, we get asked our why,' and my 'why' is to be an inspiration to others. The vision I've got for myself is greatness, so for me to do that every single day, that's who I was and who I am."
This offseason, Flournoy has gotten some increased work during OTAs and minicamp as George Pickens did not attend the voluntary portions of the offseason program, and CeeDee Lamb had a few excused absences from practice. That meant Flournoy was essentially Dak Prescott's number one option in practice, and it was an experience he benefited from.
"For me, it was important just to step into a leadership role in the room," Flournoy said. "CeeDee and GP, great guys. Phenomenal football players, I learned a lot from them. For them to miss and for me to take the number one role, it was fun while it lasted. Just keep working hard, that's literally my whole mindset. Keep working hard and getting the rapport with Dak, with Joe [Milton] and with Sam [Howell]."
As Flournoy prepares for a 2026 season where he's the number three wide receiver on the team, he believes the times of hesitation and overthinking as a younger player are in the rear view mirror, and now it's time to play unconstrained.
"I'm think I'm neutral," Flournoy said. "I'm not anxious, I'm just out there playing freely. I know what's on the play sheet, I know the calls, I know what play to run. For me, I'm not out there thinking, I'm just out there executing."
