It was a breakout year for Flournoy in 2025, and he's continued to perform at a high rate, now that he fully understands everything on offense.
Last season was Ryan Flournoy's breakout year with the Dallas Cowboys as he established himself as a genuine option in the passing game.
With CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens doing what they do, it was Flournoy, the next receiver, who made waves.
Time after time, Dak Prescott would link up with Flo regularly on third-down and move the chains, a surefire sign he had the trust of No. 4.
Such was Flournoy's rise through the ranks that, as the offseason began, the Cowboys allowed Jalen Tolbert to leave, and Ryan assumed the No. 3 receiver role. His work on the field as a pass-catcher and on special teams saw him become a key cog in the offensive machine.
Offensive coordinator Klayton Adams has had a front-row seat to the rise of Flo and detailed that after a month of football last season, everything clicked for the receiver.
"Flo got to the point, maybe week three or four last year, where he became a sentient player. When guys hit that certain level of understanding where they're like, I know exactly why this route is complementing this route. I know exactly where it is in the read, and I know when there's grey area what I can and can't do.
"When he hit that level his confidence, bang, it grew."
Confidence is perhaps the most important thing in football, as it allows players to go out and play fast. They don't have to worry about their route, how to run it, etc.; they just know it
But to be able to get to that point, it takes a lot of work in the offseason, even by yourself, honing your craft and developing a mastery of the playbook.
You have to know everyone else's routes, as well as your own.
And for Adams, he pinpointed when everything came together in a crystallizing moment for Flournoy last season.
“I think it was probably the Jets game where he started coming out and really getting the opportunities and making the plays," Adams added. "It's definitely been fun to watch with him because it's just continued and grown, both from his development in the meeting room with Junior Adams and Bravo [Stephen Bravo-Brown]; those guys do a great job with him.
"It's fun to watch players grow on their own when they hit that level, and he's doing that. I love the guy. He's a great dude to be around, awesome player.”
All the hard work has paid off for Flo, and now he has a real opportunity to further improve his NFL career, as the third weapon for Dak behind Lamb and Pickens. ... as he's so important that he will join the "A-Listers'' and sit out tonight's preseason Game 2 at Arizona.
Managing 475 yards and 4 TDs from 40 receptions on just 44 percent of the snaps last year, with an increased role in 2026, I'd imagine Flo will see a serious uptick in production.
There's even been talk of Dallas having three 1,000-yard receivers, which is a lofty goal.
As for Flo, he's done all the hard work to get to this point, and now he's a sentient player; the world is his oyster.
Let's see what's on his menu for 2026.
