It was almost 4 a.m. on Friday.
“He’s a NFL player, but I smell alcohol, he plays for the Buccaneers,” a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper is heard saying on dash-camera video.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins was about to get arrested for driving under the influence.
He told the trooper over and over, he’s sorry. And that he didn’t have anything to drink.
“I apologize for wasting your guys' time,” Jenkins said on the video.
Trooper: “You’ve been drinking tonight?"
Jenkins: "I have not sir.”
Trooper: “You sure?
Jenkins: “I’m 100 percent sure.”
He also offers something special.
“Can I please get your card, so when I catch a [expletive] touchdown, I hand the ball to the police/sheriff that’s there and shout you all out,” Jenkins said to the trooper.
Jenkins was pulled over in his BMW on I-275.
FHP said he was going almost 80 mph in a 50. And weaving. Even cutting off the trooper.
MORE: Buccaneers TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins arrested for DUI
He refused a breathalyzer, and investigators said he performed poorly on the field sobriety test.
WATCH: Buccaneers TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins given field sobriety test
It’s Jenkins second DUI arrest in three years.
He appeared to be sleeping in the back of the trooper’s car on his way to jail.
And he wasn’t at practice this morning as Coach Dirk Koetter and the Bucs got ready for their home opener.
“I’ve been busy this morning and by the time we found out about it, we had to come out to practice. They’ll be more to come,” Koetter said.
Jenkins caught a spectacular touchdown against the Falcons.
And seemed on his way to a successful season after an off-season run in with his coach.
Koetter threw him out of practice for not being prepared.
But Jenkins came back saying all the right things..
“I’m ready to get back to work and hold up the standard I'm capable of, what you expect of me, the fans expect of me, what coaches expect of me, my teammates expect of me” Jenkins said back in June.
Now he’s out of jail and the former second round pick is on his way out of Tampa Bay.
“We are very disappointed in today’s news,” said General ManagerJason Licht in a statement released Friday afternoon.
“After careful consideration, we felt this was the right decision at this time.”
The Buccaneers have waived TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins. https://t.co/YaRAxd7UTP
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@TBBuccaneers) September 23, 2016
Jenkins sent out a Tweet even before the Buccaneers announcement: “Thank you TB! Next chapter”
Thank you TB! Next chapter
— Austin Seferian J (@Aesj88) September 23, 2016
