4th & South - Zay Flowers on Lamar Jackson, his DOUBTERS, Harbaugh departure, Ravens & AFC North

We’ve been rolling for weeks, and today the vibe’s right: first‑round pick Zay Flowers in the building.

Zay, welcome—money jokes aside, drug tests and all—let’s jump straight to that wild finish in Pittsburgh.

On the sideline I thought we were close, then did the kicker math and felt the distance; I dropped my helmet, heard the crowd erupt, saw those yellow towels, and headed for the tunnel before the tears hit the turf.

I’m superstitious and have to watch those kicks—do you ever feel like looking might change the outcome?

My eyes can’t control a leg, and that field had weird energy anyway—fresh sod, slick grass, even holy water out there.

Talk to us about Ravens‑Steelers—did you inherit that hate, or did it grow on you?

I knew the history, but I treat it like ball and went and scored; now the rivalry’s always on, but my fire really built against Buffalo and Kansas City because they kept beating us.

Harbaugh’s gone—how’d that hit, and what’d you take from him?

It felt surreal after his long run, like walking the building and realizing a whole era shifted from defense and grit to speed and space; what I keep is his week‑to‑week prep and how he got a team ready.

Those practices were old‑school—did the load help or hurt?

We thumped late into the season with one‑on‑ones and big GPS miles, and it sharpened us, but the load added dings too; the new coach told me we’ll still work, just land fresher on Sundays.

Your recovery game is strong—what’s the routine?

Cold‑hot contrast is my anchor—Saturday and early Sunday I hit tubs at the facility or hotel; I learned a lot from vets like Nelson Agholor and kept what worked.

New OC on deck—what’s the plan and the feel?

He’s young, thinks like us, and wants explosives; I’ve been flying up to build with him, and he’s clear I’ll move around and touch it more—backfield, slot, wide, whatever wins.

You and Lamar go way back through the city—how did that first link‑up go after the draft?

We skipped the small talk and went straight to a beach workout; Lamar knew my brothers before he knew me, so the connection felt natural.

There’s a narrative about Ravens wideouts—how did you approach changing it, especially coming from BC?

I came in to flip that script; BC hadn’t sent a receiver early in decades, but I balled, hit visits, heard the QB wanted me, told my dad to suit everyone up, and on draft night my focus was my people, not the handshake.

You’ve carried losses—your mom, your uncle, your brother, your grandma—how did that shape you?

My dad’s grind with 14 kids taught me to work, from 4 a.m. shifts to Saturday laundromat marathons; when my brother died I played the next day because football’s where I could breathe, and my friends circled us with real love.

Give us a little pregame soundtrack.

Kodak and YoungBoy set the tempo, then I lock in with tracks my brothers recorded so I can carry them onto the field.

Top receivers you study?

AB, Tyreek, Jerry Rice, Megatron, Randy, Steve Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, T.O., Ochocinco, and Julio—dogs in different ways.

Leadership time—are you ready to set the standard in that room?

I lead by example and look out for the young guys, then speak when it matters; if the tone’s high in practice and recovery, everything else rises.

What about winning culture versus losing habits?

I lost a lot in college and hated the feeling; once you taste winning like we did, you do everything not to go back.

You trained with TA for years—how did that shape your game?

We stacked footwork and conditioning since middle school; I had more college offers at corner than receiver, went to BC as a DB, switched after one day, and never turned around.

Florida receivers versus Louisiana athletes—where do you land?

South Florida’s got that twitch, Louisiana’s got monsters per capita; line up a real seven‑on‑seven and we’ll find out.

That flag showcase needed more true NFL movers, right?

Yeah—put Jet, Chase, and Achane out there with safeties who can really roll and it looks different.

You’ve also been boxing—what’s that do for you?

Boxing twice a week builds shoulders, balance, and footwork, and Pilates locks my core so I can stop and start without leaking energy.

You’ve been grinding all offseason—how much of that is solo work, and what’s with the hill sessions?

Pool work, then the hill four days a week; that’s my speed work. I lift with a coach, but routes and hills I often do alone—front yard reps, cameraman tossing, whatever it takes to stay consistent.

OTAs are here—have you been throwing with Lamar, or do you save the timing work for camp?

We link early, I’ll call and pull up, but I ramp the heavy route timing as camp gets close since OTAs already cover a lot.

People online get Lamar wrong—what do they miss about him as a person?

He’s grounded in God and protects his mind and body so he can be his best for the team. Folks mistake self-care for not caring, but he knows no one else can do that work for him.

On the field, you two look like you talk without words—what’s that chemistry like when plays break?

It’s backyard ball. If the first look isn’t there, I’m finding space and he knows where I’ll pop up; I’m already sprinting to the end zone while others are still reacting.

People still question his arm—what do you see?

He can drive it anywhere and keeps turnovers low while piling yards. The résumé speaks loud.

In my eyes he should’ve collected more MVPs.

I’m with you.

What scripture do you carry with you, and why?

Psalm 23 reminds me to fear no one but God—my dad drilled that into me. We hit Bible study every Tuesday in season to keep that foundation strong.

What would a championship mean to Baltimore and to the legends who built that culture?

It would lift the whole city. When they last won it felt safer everywhere, and the love was real from restaurants to the block.

And for you—and for Lamar—what would it feel like?

I’d probably cry, then get back to work. For L, it stamps him among the greats.

If you were a few inches taller, I think you’d have been a top-five pick—do you feel overlooked?

I believe I’m top tier now; size is just a preference some teams chase.

You’re helping rewrite the prototype—teams want playmakers who tilt the field, regardless of height.

I’ve heard every short joke—cool. Now line up and guard me.

Hot take: I’ve got the Browns winning the division—thoughts?

That’s your pick. I’ll stay out of it and focus on us taking a step forward.

How do you feel watching receivers from your draft class ball out—does it spark competition?

Absolutely. Our class is deep—me, JSN, Jordan Addison, Quentin Johnston—and we’re leading in things like yards after catch and separation.

Walk us through that red zone fumble and how you processed it afterward.

I won across the field, slowed a hair to secure it, then angled for the pylon; the defender wrapped me and the ball slid out. We still had multiple drives and red zone trips after that, so I own my part, but the game wasn’t one snap—now I want that rematch.

The internet blew up one moment and ignored the rest.

They didn’t score late; we had chances and came up short. No finger-pointing—just fix the red zone and finish.

We appreciate you pulling up—let’s run that Madden, tap into your camps, and circle back after you get that ring.

Love always—pull up to the community events, and I’ll send gear. We’ll joke about the hair, admire the hardware, and God willing, come back with a new one.