Flozell Adams may be known for his successful NFL career, which includes five Pro Bowl selections, but before pursuing his professional dreams, he made the decision to forgo entry into the draft in order to complete his senior year at Michigan State University in order to make good on a promise to his mother to stay in school and continue work toward his degree. Sadly, his mother, Rachel Fairman Adams, lost her battle with breast cancer just two weeks after Adams made his decision. Rachel Fairman Adams was Flozell’s most loyal supporter, always waiting for her son in the tunnel outside the Spartan locker room to greet him after his games, and continually praising him for his achievements on and off the football field. Adams went on to earn first-team All-America honors as a senior in 1997 and was named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year. He played 13 seasons in the NFL, earning Pro Bowl accolades five times with the Cowboys, and played the final game of his career in Super Bowl XLV with the Steelers. In 2014, Flozell founded The Fairman-Adams Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is to actively serve breast cancer patients, survivors and their families.
