FRISCO, Texas — Disaster averted by Ryan Flournoy. The 34-17 loss by the TV to the Los Angeles Chargers, and that three-game losing streak that accompanied it, was not the scariest thing that happened at AT&T Stadium, and not by a long shot.
Flournoy, on the verge of another big game in what's become a breakout season, suffered a late hit by linebacker Denzel Perryman after a catch in the middle of the field in the second quarter that awkwardly torqued his body against his leg, and forcing the young receiver out of the game for good.
Initially feared to potentially be a devastating injury, the Cowboys delivered great news to Flournoy following his MRI on Monday, an early Christmas gift, of sorts: the diagnosis is a knee sprain, and nothing more. Nothing is torn, and he even has a shot at taking the field on Christmas against the Washington Commanders — even if only a slight one.
"We got great news this morning after the MRI," Flournoy said on Monday, after being a limited participant in the team's walkthrough, and wearing a smile bright enough to challenge the sun itself. "I was praying, and God has blessed me, in tremendous ways. We are working towards playing Thursday.
"I'm not giving up on the season, so I'm looking forward to playing this Thursday, if I can. I wanna play."
The news made its way to the offensive meeting room ahead of practice, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer says it was met with everyone celebrating and several players beating on their desks and yelling to show their happiness for Flournoy, who readily admits he was afraid he'd be done for the season, and potentially the offseason program (and training camp?) after he felt something weird in his knee during the late hit.
"I was a little fearful — I was," he said. "It's because of the way I got twisted up, I felt a little click and pop, and couldn't return to the game, and that hurt me. And I was like, 'Well, it's really serious,' but I got great news and I've been happy all day, for real."
For Flournoy, football, and particularly his roster spot with the Cowboys, is so much bigger than the game itself, and that's what he's hoping to show on Christmas, and every game thereafter, for years to come. So while he could close out the season with his battle against the Chargers, he has no interest in doing so.
"I'm playing for pride and also playing for this locker room, and this brotherhood," the 26-year-old said. "Being in the league, I've learned that some people are not going to be here next year, and I just want to go out and play with my brothers on this 2025 Cowboys team, two more times, and just have fun with them and just fight with them.
"Man, this brotherhood is special to me and just me being able to play for them."
Far and away, this has been the best of Flournoy's two NFL seasons, in every category. The former sixth-round pick (2024) has already been active in 15 games (career-high) with three starts (career-high) and reeled in 407 receiving yards (career-high) on 35 receptions (career-high) with four touchdowns (career-high), and averages 11.6 yards per catch (career-high).
There's a theme there, certainly, and it's that the 2025 campaign, for Flournoy, is a career-high; and with so much promise on the horizon, and given his journey to get to this point — including a stint at Iowa Western Community College — don't count on him turning down on any rep awarded to him, regardless of the Cowboys' elimination from playoff contention.
Insert Mamba Mentality here.
"I feel like I established myself very well," he said. "Job's not done, though. I still want to keep climbing and keep going, be consistent every time, and just be me. I want to show up every time, and every time they need me, I just want to be there."
In the event Flournoy is not cleared for Christmas, he will have had roughly two weeks between the injury having occurred to the Cowboys' season finale against the New York Giants, meaning there's a great chance he'll at least have one more opportunity to finish his breakout season strong — something he was afraid wouldn't be possible just 24 short hours ago.
