Koetter Discusses ASJ Release
September 24th, 2016
Talks ASJ
Last night after his son’s high school football game, Bucs coach Dirk Koetter joined Alex Marvez and Gil Brandt, co-hosts of “Late Hits” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, and commented about the release of tweety Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the high-maintenance, high-drama, highly talented former Bucs tight end.
To Joe’s knowledge, it was Koetter’s first public discussion of the release.
Yesterday, after many capers in his two-plus years with the Bucs, ASJ was set free after his DUI arrest four hours before he was due at One Buc Palace for team meetings and practice Friday morning.
Very intriguing read-between-the-lines stuff in Koetter’s brief comment on ASJ’s release. Joe is posting the exchange between Marvez and Koetter word-for-word.
Alex Marvez: Dirk, the team decided to cut ties with Austin Seferian-Jenkins; I have to ask you this: How disappointing was it to have to do that following his DUI arrest and why did your team make the move?
Dirk Koetter: (sighs) Well, it is disappointing and Austin is a guy that, uh, we had high hopes for. He was a second round pick here a couple of years back. He has fought through some injury issues. He’s a very talented individual. It is disappointing when guys, uh, when they make mistakes and, uh, there’s more to every story than meets the eye. Sometimes there is more to it than things I can say on the radio. We wish Austin well. The No. 1 thing is I am glad that Austin is safe and healthy. And I hope he can get himself healthy.”
Joe won’t even try to speculate what Koetter meant when he said he hopes ASJ “can get himself healthy” — just after saying he is glad ASJ is healthy. Joe has a hunch what is going on. Let’s just say Koetter admitting he couldn’t discuss this transaction in detail on satellite radio invites suspicion.
You may feel free to interpret Koetter’s words however you wish.
It is very interesting to Joe that Bucs offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Todd Monken called out a pillar of the community and 12-year pro Vincent Jackson in two straight weeks, but when Koetter was asked why the team parted ways with ASJ, he said he can’t on a public forum.
September 24th, 2016 at 12:45 am
“there’s more to every story than meets the eye…..”
that part of the quote means more to me even though it explains nothing. In fact I think that may be the meat of the problem, the DUI was just the nail in the coffin.
“Sometimes there is more to it than things I can say on the radio.’
Very professional words from a head coach who has to stick to legalities. Other teams will hear those words.
September 24th, 2016 at 1:03 am
He can’t..we all fail yet we make excuses on who we are the way we are. News for you excuses are for losers and if that’s what you want in life then go be it. I’m sorry but why is Charlotte ripping it’s own city apart? We all need to grow up and look ourselves in the mirror. Don’t be a loser folks as my coach once said.
September 24th, 2016 at 1:04 am
Um….I would say “nail in the coffin” was quite accurate Pa.
September 24th, 2016 at 1:06 am
87 was right about Jameis. However so were a bunch of other FSU fans.
September 24th, 2016 at 2:05 am
I think he was drunk or hung over all the time like Manziel.
September 24th, 2016 at 2:42 am
@Fred McNeil
I think you are correct. Suffering from alcoholism is not as sexy as a secret locker room fight, or being uncoachable, but it’s just as devastating.
The fact that Koetter referred to health is the tell to me. It may be more than alcohol in that there is other substance abuse involved. Can anybody say Tanard Jackson? Speaking of which don’t we wish he was “healthy” enough to still be a safety for the Bucs.
It seems probable that ASJ was coming to practice and meetings messed up.
Perhaps that is why Koetter ran him that day in training camp.
Of course it’s all speculation but the word “health” seems to indicate substance abuse. If we want to speculate wildly maybe ASJ has a condition like being a manic depressive and wasn’t taking his meds properly.
HIPPAA protects an individual’s right to privacy when it comes to medical conditions. Some here do not seem to wish to agree with the fact that alcoholism and substance abuse are considered diseases…medical problems…not the sign of somebody simply efffing off. If it is alcohol/substance abuse The Bucs…and certainly any physician…would not be permitted to say as much without ASJ’s consent.
September 24th, 2016 at 5:04 am
I hope he finds whatever help he needs period. Not a good thing for anyone.
September 24th, 2016 at 5:07 am
Do you love football? I’m not sure if ASJ really does.
September 24th, 2016 at 5:39 am
Dude disabled his court mandated ignition interlock, he is ridiculous.
Something installed which is designed to prevent you from making the exact mistake you made and you disable it? Kind of proves he had bad intentions all along.
September 24th, 2016 at 5:48 am
Jason Licht & Dirk Koetter both have lots of experience dealing with ‘problem players’ I’m confident. Doubt seriously they would’ve parted ways with a talented 2nd round pick TE unless they felt there was no way he could be turned in to a true asset to the team. Obviously more to the story like you said Joe, but eventually the facts usually come out. Since he was arrested for DUI I suspect that alcoholism is probably one major issue like St Pete said. Hope that ASJ does get help and can get whatever his issue is under control so he can go on to have a successful career.
September 24th, 2016 at 6:39 am
Just a young guy who probably needed a little hand holding which this coaching staff and GM was no longer willing to do! Given the state of the team, I think their decision to cut him was more about saving face or out of embarrassment. I think they will miss him starting SUNDAY!
September 24th, 2016 at 6:57 am
You have the opportunity of a lifetime and you piss it away. In the process you waste a roster spot for a team that can’t afford to lose a single one. I got no sympathy for you. Every addiction starts with a choice. It’s not a desease when a decision is made to do something you know is wrong. It’s just stupid. Good move by the Bucs. ASJ is a cancer.
September 24th, 2016 at 7:06 am
alcoholism will bring down the best of people…no doubt this disease has dogged ASJ’s steps…perhaps he came to work hungover when he was kicked out…his lack of focus and intensity probably is due to this…lots of conjecture but based on the symptoms and behaviors associated with this I am not surprised…any of us who manage employees know this is the case…hopefully he hits bottom and gets help
September 24th, 2016 at 7:35 am
I really hate to see a kid waste a huge opportunity to set up his family for life!! The path was really cleared for ASJ87 to succeed, with VJ83 getting old, injuries to rb. ASJ87 could have been the main target in many games!!! Big numbers would have lead to a big contract extension!!!
Bighogheinous made a good point (finally) They really did the “hand holding” in year 1 and 2, and it did not work!!! They did the tough love this year and obviously it still did not work!!!! Head Coach Koetter had to cut him, as a first year coach he had to set the precedent!!! We can not have another 3 year Rah Bachlor party at One Buc again!!!!!
Maybe this will be the wake up call to ASJ, Maybe he will go to another team and be the TE he can be. Isn’t that how the Bucs Got VJ83 from the chargers!!!!!!
September 24th, 2016 at 7:38 am
Bighog yet again you miss the point. They can’t on one hand talk about players who love football and then turn around a keep a guy that repeatedly shown he does not love football. He was not the kind of player they want around here, this is no longer the friends and family plan you love so dearly.
September 24th, 2016 at 7:43 am
I do charity work with many who have suffered from alcohol and substance abuse for many years….often the two go together. Most have multiple DUIs on their records along with other charges. It requires extensive treatment coupled with a desire to change.
I think it it quite possible that the entire team was aware of ASJ’s problem and that he displayed it often. After the DUI, the management really had no choice but to let him go.
It’s quite possible that there will be leaks about his behavior but we will likely never know the whole story.
September 24th, 2016 at 7:49 am
So there is one name we can check off the nominee list for the ring of honor
September 24th, 2016 at 8:04 am
We are missing veteran leadership in the offensive side
There is no one. We really should went after anquan boldin. He would have not tolerated this selfish team
We all know the real keyshawn jackson is now. Im so glad monken confronted this sulking brat pus. Everybody celebrates and cheers for each other success while this pus goes the other way and sits/sulks
We/jameis misses mankins presence
Everybody is not in it together. This is a team of individuals that dont know/care to win
Sheppard needs to replace keyshawn Jackson
September 24th, 2016 at 8:27 am
Let me put out any shots fired at me, I think that we are far from the upper class teams in this league, our coaching staff wanted to handle this in house but I think THE BACK-STABBER just wanted to show his ALL POWER attitude! 87 is right: if you don’t know why they are ripping the city apart, let me tell you, people are tired of being hunted down like wild animals, I’m tired and 87 this sh*t ain’t right! Ndog as an organization the Bucs SUCK at player relations!!
September 24th, 2016 at 8:36 am
Alcoholism would explain a lot…but really, we don’t know if that is true or not. There could be any number of causes for his behavior, ranging from mental to maturity.
Some people are just idiots.
September 24th, 2016 at 8:50 am
Big Hog:
You have TROLLl written all over you.
No matter which team you actually root for, by all accounts ASJ had multiple chances and blew them–on top of that, he had a well known reputation for not putting in the required amount of work. Ummm, oh yeah, he also trolled and threatened fans.
All of that gets you a ticket out of town. Bye Bye!!!
September 24th, 2016 at 8:50 am
PA Privateer,
Exactly… I’d say that this public arrest is just the tip of the iceberg for ASJ. Kinda seems to have some Manziel in him
I mean, that video yesterday just showed how much of a douche he is. I really wish he woulda been different/more committed, but dude seems to have a pretty bad drinking problem (at least).
September 24th, 2016 at 8:53 am
Yesterday when I saw the t-shirt that ASJ was wearing in the mugshot my 1st thought was he obviously wasn’t out partying until 4 am. So either he was driving home from a girlfriend’s house or he was going out to pickup something. I didn’t want to speculate on it without more information but Koetters comments are definitely intriguing.
September 24th, 2016 at 9:18 am
ASJ’s dashcam has gone national……how embarrassing…that alone is considerable punishment along with the fines & lost money…..ASJ will pay a huge price for his mistakes.
September 24th, 2016 at 9:19 am
@ buc53: I ain’t going no where, call it like you see it that’s my motto so………..shove it!
September 24th, 2016 at 9:32 am
When Lovie kept saying ASJ wasn’t ready to play, he might not have been talking about the injuries that occurred on the field.
September 24th, 2016 at 9:39 am
BigHog, how is Licht a back stabber? The Glazers fired Lovie, not Licht. I didn’t know that Licht had that power over the Glazers. Lucky man.
September 24th, 2016 at 9:43 am
Also, this looks like ASJ wasn’t kicked out of OTA’s for “not knowing what he’s doing” after all. He was probably drunk or hung over and Koetter gave him a chance to redeem himself. Tha dash cam video made it impossible to keep him.
September 24th, 2016 at 9:44 am
Just saw the video of ASJ’s DUI stop. Just when I thought I had seen it all. This guy might go down as one of the biggest idiots to ever lace em’ up for the Bucs. And that’s saying something!
Getting rid of this dolt is the only option if you are trying to lead this team out of the cellar. Do NOT tolerate losers!!! (And never again draft a TE from UW)
September 24th, 2016 at 9:56 am
Who cares? You guys trippin!! ASJ never wanted to be a Buc. When you have to beg a guy to put forth his best effort despite making a lot of money? PLEASE. F’em baby! I’m glad this cancer is gone. The guy gave us like 2 plays a game..if that when he was healthy. Having ability and not using it is a sin. We don’t know what other problems went on behind the scenes with ASJ at Buc One place. Licht and Koetter got tired of them though. Next man up. I could give less than 2 thirds of a Deeyham if ASJ does well or not. Let him take his..Charmin act elsewhere.
BE READY FOR LA BUCS!!
September 24th, 2016 at 10:01 am
He made a bad choice… It is nothing more or nothing less. Mommy & Daddy issues, alcohol, and every other angle is nothing more than making an excuse or trying to justify a bad choice by a dumb arse… personal responsibility folks… ASJ got ASJ booted from team. ASJ made the choice to drive like a dumb arse… it’s not the fault of a disease or anything else other than he made a bad choice. Personal Responsibility… Pretty soon even murder will be a disease…. take responsibility for your actions simple as that. I would have saved a hell of of a lot more money over the years, if I did not have to pay for so many bad choices no regrets. I owned them. Stop making excuses and trying to justify bad choices if you make a bad choice pay and own it. coddling this idiot is partly responsible for why he is so damn screwed up now…
September 24th, 2016 at 10:16 am
Alot of u guys made excellent points, I also think he was showing up to practice still
Drunk and hungover. And this guy’s main priority was not football if you havent noticed. We don’t need guys that are half way intrested. We need guys that are fully in on making this team better and wanting to grow with this up n coming offense. Like Joe said, there is things that the public don’t know about so I trust the Bucs decision 100%. Your fooling yourself if u think the Bucs didn’t do everything they possibly could to try and fix this kid. But at the end of the day u can’t help someone that doesn’t want to help there self. Simple as that.
September 24th, 2016 at 10:52 am
With that 3rd grade brain connection ASJ reminds me of Jethro Bodine all up in there with his nonchalant aloofness.
September 24th, 2016 at 11:23 am
Jethro Bodine Graduated from the 6th grade.
September 24th, 2016 at 2:10 pm
I thought it was funny when JP on Dae was talking about trading him yesterday, probably be easier to trade Tim Becham.
September 24th, 2016 at 4:06 pm
Y’all were in love with his potential.
I kept saying that character is not eclipsed by potential.
Looks like that still rings true.
Again the dude illegally disabled his “court mandated” ignition interlock! Its even stated in the dash cam video. That alone shows he has serious problems and that he PLANNED to drink and drive regardless of his first DUI.
He does have problems and that is not speculation, that is fact.
Y’all need to stop believing that talent eclipses character, couldn’t be further from the truth.
September 24th, 2016 at 4:53 pm
ASJ is either a drunk or an addict. I personally have struggled w addiction for many years. It only got better when I finally made the decision to get help. That is up to ASJ but he clearly has some issues that need resolving.