Former USF star Quinton Flowers requests trade from Vipers

TAMPA ― Tampa Bay Vipers quarterback Quinton Flowers, who left the team early last week for what was deemed “personal reasons,” has requested a trade, the Tampa Bay Times has learned.

The Vipers announced Tuesday that Flowers, who has expressed frustration over sharing snaps with two other quarterbacks and being pulled in mid-series, has returned to the active roster. However, the former USF dual-threat extraordinaire has told insiders he believes the club simply is using him as a marketing tool.

The Vipers had no media availability Tuesday, when they were expected to hold meetings and possibly a walk-through. Tampa Bay plays Sunday at Los Angeles.

Widely considered the greatest player in USF history, Flowers played only two series in Tampa Bay’s home opener, a 34-27 loss to Houston on Feb. 22. He scored the first offensive touchdown in franchise history in the game, but appeared in only one series afterward.

Afterward, he told reporters there are ”guys that should be playing and you’re limiting guys, not playing guys, so it’s tough.” Four days later, coach Marc Trestman announced Flowers had left the team for “personal reasons.”

Flowers’ trade leverage might ― might ― have dissipated in the wake of the Vipers’ 25-0 win Sunday against the D.C. Defenders, when Taylor Cornelius passed for 211 yards and a TD. Announced attendance for the Sunday night game, however, was only 12,249, a significant drop from the Saturday-afternoon home opener against the Roughnecks (18,117).