ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Monday evening, Marquis Flowers stood on the floor of Xcel Energy Center, right in the middle of the circus better known as Super Bowl Media Day.
Reporters flanked the fourth-year pro, who of course played collegiately at Arizona, and asked him question after question for nearly an hour. Flowers, who was traded to the New England Patriots shortly before the 2017 season, talked about it all. His road from Goodyear Millennium High School to the University of Arizona to the NFL, playing for Bill Belichick and his hopes that his former Wildcat teammate Nick Foles doesn't play his best game Sunday in Super Bowl 52.
And about halfway through his interview session, Flowers made a declaration that everyone within earshot heard clearly.
"I'm Arizona everything," Flowers said when answering a question about the Wildcats proud basketball program.
Arizona everything, indeed.
Six days before the biggest game of his life, Flowers was giddy talking about the cardinal and navy and the influence his Alma mater has had on his professional career and his life.
"I loved it all," Flowers said of his time in Tucson. "I loved the brotherhood and camaraderie between the teammates…If I can come back for a game this fall, I will."
Flowers played in 50 games in his four-year Arizona career and more than left his mark. Only 23 players in the history of Arizona Football had more than Flowers' 273 career tackles. The former linebacker led Arizona in tackles-for-loss in 2012 and 2013 and was a part of three bowl teams. Following the 2013 season where he was an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection, Flowers was drafted in the sixth round of the 2014 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
He played in all 16 games his rookie season, playing mostly on special teams and picking up seven tackles. He missed the entire 2015 season with a shoulder injury, but suited up for all 16 games again in 2016, but didn't register a single tackle. Then, nine days before the 2017 season was set to begin, the Bengals traded Flowers to New England for a seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft.
Talk about a career-changer.
In New England, Flowers rejuvenated his career. He played in all 16 games, drawing two starting assignments. He finished with 32 total tackles, 3 ½ sacks and one forced fumble. He was no longer just a special teams player, but instead a reliable defender for one of the NFL's best teams.
"It's everything a player wishes for when you go to a new team," Flowers said of ending up in New England. "You gain the trust of the players and the coaches. You help your team win, and now you have a chance to play for a championship. It's been a roller coaster of a season. We have a chance to end it on a great note."
In Flowers' two on-field seasons with the Bengals, he played a grand total of two defensive snaps. This past season in New England, Flowers was on the field for 283 defensive plays. In New England's first playoff game this season against the Tennessee Titans, Flowers played 66 percent of New England's defensive plays.
"You come in there, and you have to work for everything you get," Flowers said of playing for the Patriots. "No one gets pampered over here. Everybody works for everybody in the locker room. We work hard. I'm happy to have gained the coaches trust and get out there to help my team."
Sunday, in his first ever Super Bowl, Flowers will try to help his team secure another trophy when he goes head-to-head with former teammate Nick Foles, who will start at quarterback for the Eagles. Flowers and Foles were teammates in Tucson in 2010 and 2011. Of course, Flowers considers himself a Foles fan and always roots for his former teammate. Sunday, however, will be a tad different.
"Nick made a lot of great plays when I was (at Arizona)," Flowers said. "He's a great player. But I don't know him on Sunday, though. I don't know Nick when we step onto the field. He went through adversity and everybody counted him out. I'm happy for him, but I don't want him to play well on Sunday."
Foles has seen his fair share of Flowers on film preparing for the Super Bowl. The quarterback said he's gotten a thrill out of seeing Flowers be so active for the Patriots and is excited to go against him Sunday.
"I'm proud of him for what he's done," Foles said of Flowers. "His perseverance to be where he is now…He looks great on film, watching him fly around. Love to Arizona, for sure."
After Sunday's game, the short-lived rivalry between Foles and Flowers will vanish and both will go back to being loyal Wildcat supporters. Flowers is eager to get back to Tucson to meet new coach
Kevin Sumlin and check out a game at Arizona Stadium.
"I thought that was a great hire," Flowers said of Sumlin's addition to Arizona. "You get a guy who did what he did in the SEC and bring him to the Pac-12 with the roster, quarterback and complete offense that we have. He's coming in with the right mindset and is going to get guys that are good and want to win. That's what it's all about."
And if Flowers has a chance to talk to the current players when he's back, his message will be simple: "Enjoy every moment with your brother right now. Keep working hard and stay committed."
