Seferian-Jenkins returns after Thursday dismissal
TAMPA (FOX 13) - There was something different about Austin Seferian-Jenkins when he stepped out on the field for day-one of mandatory mini-camp.
Days after Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter kicked him out of practice, the tight end approached Tuesday with a better mindset.
"There's a certain standard that has been set here," said Seferian-Jenkins. "We're trying to continue to raise the bar. How do I do that? Meet the standard, come to work ready, prepared, and ready to do what I'm asked to do, and everything will be fine."
It's still unclear why Seferian-Jenkins was asked to leave practice early Thursday. From inside the locker room, he tweeted: "Can't let negative stuff get to [you]. Let it happen and move on!"
A few hours later, he said he spoke to his head coach.
"We got on the same page, we're on the same page," Seferian-Jenkins explained. "I know what's expected of me. I'm ready to work. I'm excited to get back out here and work."
"You know, Coach was 100-percent right in doing what he was doing. I stand right behind my coach," he added.
Jameis Winston's locker is next to Seferian-Jenkins. As a leader, he said he recognizes the highs and lows of a season, but suggested the team must rally around each other in difficult times.
"Our goal is to get better every single day," Winston said. "You know, you're going to have some mistakes here and there. But, as a teammates, we love each other and we're going to bounce back."
"At the end of the day, it was a lapse of judgment," Seferian-Jenkins added. "Obviously, it was not a good day... What happened was not okay, and it won't happen again."