Jackie Flowers
| No. 23 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth: | March 4, 1958 | ||
| Place of birth: | Jacksonville, Florida | ||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | William M. Raines (FL) | ||
| College: | Florida State | ||
| NFL Draft: | 1980 / Round: 9 / Pick: 246 | ||
| Career history | |||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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Jackie Flowers (born March 4, 1958) is a former professional American football wide receiver in the United States Football League for the Arizona Wranglers, Chicago Blitz, Pittsburgh Maulers and the Orlando Renegades. He also played in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Florida State University.
Early years
Flowers was a standout wide receiver at William M. Raines High School, graduating in 1976. He accepted a scholarship from Florida State University where he was a four-year letterman.
In 1978, he made 43 catches for 757 yards and 7 TDs, earning honorable-mention All-American honors. In his senior year, he caught 37 passes for 622 yards, 7 touchdowns, plus a 2-point conversion and was named second-team All-American.[1] He finished his college career as the school's fifth-leading receiver with 102 receptions for 1,730 yards and 15 touchdowns.[2]
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Flowers was selected in the ninth round (246th overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, after dropping because he lacked speed and was seen as a possession receiver. On August 25, he was waived in pre-season after the Cowboys decided to keep only 3 wide receivers on the roster.[3]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In December 1980, he was signed as a free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after being out of football for the whole season.[4] In 1981, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a knee injury,[5] before being released the next year.
Arizona Wranglers (USFL)
In 1983, Flowers jumped to the Arizona Wranglers of the United States Football League after being out of football for a year, registering 63 receptions for 869 yards and 11 touchdowns, including the longest reception (98 yards) in league history.[6] At the end of the season, Wranglers owner Jim Joseph did an unprecedented swap of franchises with Chicago Blitz owner Ted Diethrich. Diethrich sold the Blitz to James Hoffman, then bought the Wranglers from Joseph. Hoffman and Diethrich then engineered a swap of assets in which Allen, the Blitz coaching staff and most of its players moved to Phoenix while most of the Wranglers roster moved to Chicago.
Chicago Blitz (USFL)
In 1984, he played for the Chicago Blitz with head coach Marv Levy. On March 19, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Maulers in exchange for a draft choice.[7]
Pittsburgh Maulers (USFL)
In 1984, Flowers was one of the league's best wide receivers with the Pittsburgh Maulers, leading the team with 46 catches for 881 yards and 8 touchdowns.[8] The next year owner Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. folded the team, after the USFL announced that they would be switching to a fall schedule in 1986.[9]
Orlando Renegades (USFL)
In 1985, he signed with the Orlando Renegades for what would become the final season of USFL operations, registering 30 catches for 373 yards and 5 touchdowns.
References
- ↑ Boyles, Bob & Guido, Paul: USA Today College Football Encyclopedia 2009-2010, Florida State University, Page 950
- ↑ "Colston is prepared for opportunity". Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Johnson, Flowers axed; Saints check out Reaves". Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Shifting Into Football Gear". Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Bucs Trim Roster". Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Flowers' Record Reception Gives Wranglers Win". Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ Cook, Ron: "After weeding out receivers, Maulers cultivating Flowers" Pittsburgh Press, March 27, 1984
- ↑ "I shed some tears will be the Maulers' epilogue". Retrieved February 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Maulers' brief history was made up mostly of mistakes". Retrieved February 19, 2016.