Austin Seferian-Jenkins got kicked out of practice by Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter in June. The tight end then went on an immature social media barrage.
ASJ lost his starting gig to Cameron Brate and is currently running with the second unit during training camp. The 23-year-old pass-catcher said Tuesday that getting kicked out of practice by Koetter was a "wake-up call."
"He's a detail-oriented guy,'' Seferian-Jenkins said of Koetter, via the Tampa Bay Times. "If I want to be a great player that I'm capable of being, and I think I can be a really special player, I've got to be detail-oriented. And coach Koetter is not going to let be below that. He wants me to be a great player and he won't settle for me being average, he won't settle for me being good and he won't settle for me being great. I want to be special. He wants me to be special and I'm working towards that and I respect him to the fullest. I thank God every single day he kicked me out of practice. He was a wake-up call.
"Since then, I've been enjoying every single moment I've had. I've loved it. I love coach Koetter. I love all our coaches. I love my teammates. I love the competition in our tight end room. I love the competition from our D-ends. It's just been great all around. I'm really seizing opportunities and I'm loving just being out here playing football.''
While Brate has the inside track, and rapport with Jameis Winston, to nail down the starting job this preseason, there are plenty of reps to be had in the Bucs' passing offense. Since getting drafted in the second round in 2014, ASJ has flashed the kind of athleticism and ball skills scouts drool over from the tight end position. In previous seasons, he couldn't stay healthy. This offseason he couldn't stay on the field.
We'll see if this truly was a wake-up call for a talented young player or just another platitude that will soon be forgotten.