Selected in the second round (38th overall) out of Michigan State in 1998, Flozell Adams arrived in Big D carrying an imposing 6-foot-7, 340-pound frame. Initially slotted at right guard as a rookie, Adams quickly demonstrated the elite lateral footwork and bone-crushing power needed to handle pass protection on the perimeter. By his second season, the coaching staff moved him to left tackle—a position he would lock down for the next decade as one of the most reliable edge protectors in franchise history.

Nicknamed "Hotel" for his massive physical footprint, Adams anchored the blind side through multiple quarterback transitions, shielding passers like Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, and eventually Tony Romo. Despite being legally deaf in his right ear—a condition that occasionally led to pre-snap false start penalties due to hearing home-crowd snap counts—he weaponized his length and immense upper-body strength to stonewall the elite pass rushers of his era.

Adams peaked in the mid-2000s, earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2003 after helping guide Dallas back to the postseason under Bill Parcells. After overcoming a torn ACL in 2005, he bounced back with remarkable resilience, stringing together three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2006 to 2008. His standout 2007 campaign earned him Second-Team All-Pro honors and helped lead a powerhouse 13–3 Cowboys team.

His durability was a hallmark of his long tenure; from 1999 through 2009, Adams started every game he played, serving as a fierce physical enforcer on the line for 12 seasons in navy and silver. Following his release in early 2010, he played one final season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, starting in Super Bowl XLV before hanging up his cleats.

In his 12 seasons, he recorded 178 starts for the franchise.