Brandon Lavar Flowers (born February 18, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies, and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft.
Early life Flowers played high school football while attending Atlantic Community High School, where he earned first-team all-area and all-conference honors. He was teammates with Omar Jacobs and David Clowney. Flowers then attended Hargrave Military Academy for prep school in 2003. At Hargrave, he was teammates with Jonathan Hefney, Brian Soi, DJ Ware, and Justin Harper. He also starred in basketball and track.
Although considered a three-star recruit, Flowers was not listed among the nation's top cornerback prospects by Rivals.com..
College career
Flowers attended Virginia Tech, where he majored in Sociology. In 2004; he did not play in the season opener vs. Southern California, but made a spectacular interception for a 38-yard return the following week vs. Western Michigan. He suffered a fractured right fibula later in the contest and missed the rest of the season. Flowers returned to action in 2005, posting 20 tackles (13 solo) with four pass deflections, 1 1/2 stops behind the line of scrimmage, and an interception.
As a sophomore in 2006, Flowers took over the boundary cornerback spot, going on to start his final 27 games with the Hokies. He earned All-American second-team and All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team honors, leading the league with 21 passes defended, breaking up 18 throws and picking off three others. He totaled 51 tackles (29 solo) with 3.5 sacks and 7.5 stops for losses. He also caused a fumble and did not allow an opponent to catch any passes in three games.
As a junior in 2007, Flowers again received All-American and All-ACC recognition. In 2007, Flowers intercepted five passes and deflected nine others; he also ranked third on the team with 86 tackles (56 solo), including eight stops behind the line of scrimmage.
In 41 games at Virginia Tech, Flowers made 28 starts at cornerback, making 158 tackles (99 solo) with 3.5 sacks for minus-28 yards, 17 stops for losses of 71 yards and six quarterback pressures. He caused and recovered a fumble, deflected 32 passes, and intercepted 10 others for 172 yards in returns and two touchdowns. He also led the Atlantic Coast Conference in passes broken up (18) and passes defended (21).
Flowers decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to enter the 2008 NFL draft.
Professional career Pre-draft NFL.com ranked Flowers as the sixth best cornerback prospect in the draft and projected that he would be selected in the first or second round. Sports Illustrated ranked Flowers as the eighth best cornerback prospect in the draft and described him as an "opportunistic cornerback with solid ball skills".
Kansas City Chiefs 2008 The Kansas City Chiefs selected Flowers in the second round (35th overall) of the 2008 NFL draft. He was the sixth cornerback drafted and the first of two cornerbacks selected by the Chiefs in 2008, along with fifth-round pick (140th overall) Brandon Carr. He was the highest selected Virginia Tech Hokies' defender since 2004 first-round pick (eighth overall) DeAngelo Hall. Patrick Surtain had recommended to the Chiefs that they should draft Flowers and also kept track of their interest into selecting him. He had known Patrick Surtain for more than a decade as Surtain's brother married Flowers first cousin.
On July 23, 2008, the Kansas City Chiefs signed Flowers to a four–year, $4.72 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $1.52 million.
During training camp, he competed to be the No. 2 starting cornerback against fellow rookie Brandon Carr and Tyron Brackenridge following the departure of Ty Law. Head coach Herm Edwards named Flowers and Patrick Surtain the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
On September 7, 2008, Flowers made his professional regular season debut and earned his first career start in the Kansas City Chiefs' season-opener at the New England Patriots and made six combined tackles (five solo) during a 10–17 loss. On October 26, 2008, Flowers had eight combined tackles (five solo), made two pass deflections, a season-high two interceptions, and scored the first touchdown of his career during a 28–24 loss at the New York Jets. He had his first career interception on a pass by Brett Favre to wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery and returned it for 27–yards during the first quarter. In the fourth quarter he had his first career pick-six after picking off a pass by Brett Favre to wide receiver Chansi Stuckey and returned it 91–yards for a touchdown. He was inactive for two games (Weeks 10–11) due to a thigh injury. On Week 15, he set a season-high with ten solo tackles during a 21–22 loss against the San Diego Chargers. He finished the season with 68 combined tackles (61 solo), 13 pass break-ups, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and a touchdown in 14 games and 13 starts.
2009 He entered training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast following the departure of Patrick Surtain. The Chiefs' new head coach Todd Haley named Flowers and Brandon Carr the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.
He was inactive for the Kansas City Chiefs' 24–38 loss at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 due to a shoulder injury. In Week 3, Flowers set a season-high with seven combined tackles (six solo) and made one pass deflection during a 14–34 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 14, Flowers made six combined tackles (three solo), one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Ryan Fitzpatrick to wide receiver Lee Evans during a 10–16 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The following week, he had three solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass thrown by Brady Quinn to wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi during a 34–41 loss against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15. On January 3, 2010, Flowers made four solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and set a career-high with his fifth interception of the season on a pass by Kyle Orton to wide receiver Jabar Gaffney during a 44–24 win at the Denver Broncos. Despite playing nearly all the 2009 season with a hurt shoulder, Flowers finished the season with a total of 65 combined tackles (58 solo), a career-high 23 pass deflections, a career-high five interceptions, made two forced fumbles, and had two fumble recoveries in 15 games and 15 starts.
2010 On January 14, 2010, the Kansas City Chiefs hired Romeo Crennel to be their defensive coordinator after deciding not to re-sign Clancy Pendergast. Head coach Todd Haley retained Flowers and Carr as the starting cornerbacks and named rookie Javier Arenas the starting nickelback.
On September 19, 2010, Flowers made three solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Seneca Wallace to wide receiver Chansi Stuckey and returned it 16–14 for a touchdown during a 16–14 victory at the Cleveland Browns. In Week 3, he had two solo tackles, set a season-high with three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Alex Smith to wide receiver Michael Crabtree during a 31–10 win against the San Francisco 49ers. In Week 11, he had seven combined tackles (five solo) and made two pass deflections before exiting in the third quarter of a 31–13 win against the Arizona Cardinals due to an injury to his hamstring. He was inactive for the Chiefs' 42–24 win at the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12 due to his hamstring injury. In Week 16, he set a season-high with seven solo tackles as the Chiefs defeated the Tennessee Titans 34–14. He finished the season with 65 combined tackles (56 solo), 14 pass deflections, and two interceptions, and one touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts. During the 2010 season, he helped lead the Chiefs to the 14th ranked defense (in yards per game), after finishing 30th the previous season, and helped lead the Chiefs to their first division title since 2003.
The Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2010 NFL season first in the AFC West with a 10–6 record. On January 9, 2011, Flowers started in his first career playoff game and made three solo tackles and one pass deflection during a 7–30 loss against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild-Card Game.
2011 On September 16, 2011, the Kansas City Chiefs signed Flowers to a five–year, $49.35 million contract extension that included $22.00 million guaranteed and an initial signing bonus of $10.00 million.
On September 25, 2011, Flowers set a season-high with eight combined tackles (six solo), made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Phillip Rivers to wide receiver Malcom Floyd during a 17–20 loss at the San Diego Chargers. On October 23, 2011, Flowers made three solo tackles, three pass deflections, two interceptions, and returned one for a touchdown during a 28–0 victory at the Oakland Raiders. He intercepted a pass thrown by Carson Palmer to wide receiver Denarius Moore in the fourth quarter and returned it 38–yards for a touchdown. The following week, he recorded five combined tackles (four solo) and set a season-high with four pass deflections as the Chiefs defeated the San Diego Chargers in overtime 23–20 in Week 8. On December 12, 2011, the Chiefs fired head coach Todd Haley after leading his team to a 5–8 record. Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was appointed interim head coach for the remainder of the season. He started in all 16 games for the first time in his career and made 59 combined tackles (44 solo), 20 pass deflections, four interceptions, and one touchdown.
2012 Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was promoted to head coach entering the 2012 NFL season. He entered training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback, but missed the majority of camp after injuring his foot. He was named the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and was paired with Stanford Routt, following the departure of Brandon Carr who joined the Dallas Cowboys via free agency.
He was inactive due to an injury to the heel of his foot and remained on the sideline for the Kansas City Chiefs' home-opener against the Atlanta Falcons as they lost 24–40. In Week 4, he made three solo tackles, set a season-high with two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Phillip Rivers to wide receiver Robert Meachem during a 20–37 loss to the San Diego Chargers. In Week 12, he tied his season-high with four solo tackles, made one pass deflection, and picked off a pass thrown by Peyton Manning to Eric Decker during a 9–17 loss to the Denver Broncos. In Week 16, he recorded four solo tackles, had one pass deflection, and had his first career sack on Andrew Luck for a two–yard loss as the Chiefs lost 13–20 to the Indianapolis Colts. He finished the season with 48 combined tackles (40 solo), 12 pass deflections, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and one sack in 15 games and 15 starts. On December 31, 2012, the Chiefs fired head coach Romeo Crennel after they finished the 2012 NFL season with a 2–14 record.
2013 Throughout training camp, he competed to retain his job as a starting cornerback against Sean Smith and Dunta Robinson under new defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. Head coach Andy Reid named him the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with Sean Smith with Dunta Robinson and rookie Marcus Cooper serving as backups.