Quinton Flowers- A Story of Tragedy turned Triumph

If you know anything about USF football, it has Quinton Flowers’ name written all over it. This sensational college football QB has now reached the highest professional level, but he has worked from a horrific past to get to this point.

Quinton Flowers had an amazing collegiate career at the University of South Florida, but in order to get to where he is today, he had some adversity to endure that would leave many hopeless and in shams. His inner strength is unmatched, and he showed the ultimate resilience to be in the spot he is at today.

The horrific path of Flowers started way before his days at USF. When the man was merely a child, his father was killed in a drive-by-shooting when he was seven years old. Something that terrible to happen to a growing kid at that age can be extremely traumatic, and ruin an entire life, but Q stayed determined to find success.

Then while in high school in 2012, Flowers’ mother died from cancer. To lose both of his parents at such a young age, one could imagine there would be no way to come back from an experience of that degree. This shows the amount of inner drive that Q has to be able to stay focused to his goals, no matter the situation.

Flowers remained unshaken, and forged his path to playing football at USF. Just as it seemed like things were getting on a far better track, Flowers suffered from another loss. As he was about to earn his first start at QB, his stepbrother was killed in a shooting. In the same year, he his aunt past away due to a heart attack.

To stick to positivity and to hold on to whatever is left in your tank of sanity in a situation like that is unbelievably remarkable. Flowers was tested time and time again, and somehow found away to survive through all of his pain and loss.

Flowers kept on his grind to keep himself going when no one else thought he could. “I feel like if they were here, the things they want me to do, I’m doing them now,” Flowers said. “I’m playing for them: my brother, my mom, my dad, and my aunt. I’m just playing for them and I just continue to be myself.” I think that would be the only solution in how to move forward.

The man persevered, and has created a legacy at his alma mater. In his time in a Bulls jersey, he threw for just under 6,000 passing yards and ran for over 2,500. He has over 37 school records during his career, including total career offensive yards gained (11,802), most career passing TDs (71), most games of 300 or more yards in a season (9, 2016) and more. He had two consecutive 11-win seasons in his junior and senior campaigns, winning the Birmingham bowl in back-to-back seasons.

His effort that he gave at USF was far and above any other football player to ever play there and all of the fans and students, including myself are grateful that he made Tampa his home for the past four years. His elite status in the college game was not enough to get him drafted this year, due to an insane class of Quarterbacks this year. Although, the Cincinnati Bengals saw enough talent in him to offer him a contract as an undrafted free agent.

Quinton will most likely not be playing as a QB in the NFL, but it is still notable to see how far he has come. The man suffered through more trauma before he was even 21 than most people see in a lifetime, but he stood tall and rose above the pain of all the loss he suffered, and will be remembered forever in the NCAA history books and in the hearts of Bulls fans.

Featured Image via Flickr/ U.S. Army Garrison- Miami-

Well for starters I am an absolute nut for sports. When I am not indulging ESPN or watching a live sports event, I am a thrill-seeker. I enjoy the outdoors as well as having great experiences in social settings. I currently am a Mass Communications major at the University of South Florida. I am apart of the fraternity Sigma Pi, and am currently the secretary of the executive team. I don't know if there is a time when you'll catch me away from my computer because when I'm not typing out articles, I am taking minutes for meetings or doing homework.

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